Plea For New Sub Post Office
The Cemetery Difficulty

  Wednesday, present Councillors C. W. Horrell, C.A., J.P. (chairman), C. Claridge (vice-chairman), T. Wilmott, T. F. B. Newberry, J. Roe, D. G. Greenfield, M.D., W. C. Tarry, A. Allebone, T. Swindall, C. E. Bayes, F. Corby, F. Knight, J.P., L. Perkins, B.Sc., J. Spencer, J.P., J. Hornsby, G. W. Coles, J.P., W. Bazeley, J.P., and C. Bates, with the Clerk (Mr. G. S. Mason), the Surveyor (Mr. W. B. Madin), and the Sanitary Inspector (Mr. F. S. F. Piper).

Housing Committee

  A meeting of the Housing Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Friday, April 24^th, 1925, when there were present: Messrs. C. Bates, C. E. Bayes, W. Bazeley, C. W. Horrell, T. F. B. Newberry, and T. Wilmott.

Chairman

  It was resolved that Mr. C. Bates be appointed Chairman of this committee for the ensuing year.

Sites For Further Houses

  The Chairman reported that the Committee had had an interview with the district Valuer, who considered the prices proposed to be paid for the sites on the Irchester-road and Graveley-street excessive, particularly the land in Graveley-street, having regard to the heavy expenditure required on the road.  He had strongly advised the committee to abandon the Graveley-street site, but would be prepared to recommend the Irchester-road site if the vendor would make some slight reduction in the price.  The committee had since interviewed the vendor, who was prepared to reduce the price to 3s. per yard, which was considered reasonable.

  The committee had also made further inquiries as to sites in Fletcher-road, on the Prospect House Estate, and on Bedford-road.  With regard to the latter, they had received a definite offer of the whole of the frontage from the Bedford-road Cottages to the Hospital at 1s. per yard.  This would provide sites for 80 houses.

  The committee resolved to proceed with the erection of 16 houses on Irchester-road site, 14 on the Oval-road site, and twelve on the Fletcher-road site if the land could be procured, and the Clerk and Surveyor were instructed to visit the Ministry of Health and place the amended proposals before them, particularly with regard to the immediate commencement of operations on the sites above-mentioned.

  The report was adopted.

Plans, Etc., Committee

  A meeting of the Plans, Highways, and Lighting Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, April 29^th, 1925, when there were present; Messrs. A. Allebone, C. E. Bayes, G. W. Coles, F. Knight, W. C. Tarry, and T. Wilmott.

Chairman

  It was resolved that Mr. T. Wilmott be appointed Chairman of this committee for the ensuing year.

Sub-Committees

  The following sub-committees were appointed:

  Lighting and Fire Brigade – Messrs. T. Wilmott, A. Allebone, and C. E. Bayes.

  Depot – Mr. Fred Knight.

Plans

were presented for:

  House on the Wellingborough road for Mr. B. Dickens, and passed.

  An application for a subsidy in respect of the foregoing house was received, and it was resolved to recommend the Council to instruct the Surveyor to issue a certificate in respect of same as coming within the Council’s scheme for the subsidy of £100.

Housing, Etc., Act, 1923

  The Surveyor reported that the house recently erected in Newton-road by Mrs. K. Rice was not in accordance with the plan submitted upon which the certificate was given qualifying it for the £100 subsidy.  He was instructed to inform the owner that the plan as submitted must be adhered to, otherwise the subsidy could not be granted.

Road Materials

  The Surveyor informed the committee that owing to the alteration in the dates of the meetings the tenders for road materials were not yet to hand.

  The Chairman and the Surveyor were authorised to go through the tenders when received, make a selection, and place orders for the ensuing year’s supply.

  The report was adopted.

Parks Committee

  A meeting of the Parks Committee was held at Spencer Park on Friday, May 1^st, 1925, when there were present: Messrs. G. W. Coles, D. G. Greenfield, Fred Knight, J. Roe, and T. Swindall.

Chairman

  It was resolved that Mr. Fred Knight be appointed Chairman of this committee for the ensuing year.

Refreshments

  An application was received from Mr. C. Smith, of the Spencer Park Tea Rooms, for permission to serve refreshments in the Park as last year.

  It was resolved to recommend the Council to accede to the application for the current year upon Mr. Smith agreeing to pay to the Council the sum of £10 for the sole right.

Opening of Greens and Courts

  The question of the opening of the bowling greens and tennis courts was considered and left to the discretion of the Chairman and Groundsman, it being understood that play would commence as soon as weather conditions allowed.

Swings, Etc.

  The committee visited and inspected the children’s swings, etc., and gave instructions for the ground immediately surrounding the same to be concreted where not already so constructed.

Bandstand

  The question of the provision of a cover for the bandstand was considered and deferred for the present.

  The report was adopted.

Housing Committee

  A meeting of the Housing Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Tuesday, May 5^th, 1925, when there were present: Messrs. C. Bates (chairman), C. W. Horrell, W. Bazeley, C. E. Bayes, T. F. B. Newberry, and T. Wilmott.

Further Houses

  The Clerk reported that he, with the Surveyor, attended at the office of the Ministry of Health on Tuesday last and informed the officials there that owing to the representations of the District Valuer the committee had decided to abandon the proposals for acquiring land in Graveley-street and asked for the sanction of the Ministry for the Council to proceed with the 16 houses on the Irchester-road site and 22 on the Oval-road site in the place of 14 as previously arranged.  The officials authorised the 16 on Irchester-road subject to the District Valuer reporting favourably on the price, and were also prepared to sanction the 22 in Oval-road subject to some slight amendment of the lay-out.  A letter had since been received from the Ministry showing an alternative lay-out, which they suggested should be adopted for the 22 houses.  This the committee accepted.

  Up to the present it had been found impossible to come to any terms with the owner of the land abutting on Fletcher-road.

  It was decided to proceed with the 38 houses at once and to allot them to the following builders at the prices quoted – namely:

  13 houses Irchester-road, Mr. R. Marriott, £7,432.

  16 houses Oval-road, Mr. Packwood, £7,432

  6 houses Oval-road, Mr. Sanders, £2,700.

Letting

  It was resolved that lists be prepared and circulated amongst the members of the committee of all applications received and still outstanding, the lists to show the years in which the applications were made.

Repairs

  A sub-committee consisting of Mr. Bayes and Mr. Wilmott was appointed to make inspections of the various houses and give instructions as to any minor repairs or renovations which they might think reasonable and proper.

Sale of Land

  The Clerk reported that he had received the formal sanctions of the Ministry of Health for the sale of the plot of land on Newton-road for £600 and the strip of Oval-road for £16.

  The report was adopted.

Finance and Estates Committee

  A meeting of the Finance and Estates Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, May 6^th, 1925, at 10 a.m., when there were present: Messrs. C. W. Horrell, C. Claridge, C. Bates, J. Hornsby, J. Roe, and L. Perkins.

Chairman

  It was resolved that Mr. Horrell be appointed Chairman of this committee for the ensuing year.

Surveyor’s Cash Account

  The committee examined the Surveyor’s cash account with the wages books, the expenditure shown therein being as follows:

Collector’s Accounts

  The Collector’s accounts were also examined, from which it appeared that he had collected the following sums since the last meeting:

Treasurer’s Accounts

  The committee also examined the Treasurer’s accounts, from which it appeared that he had received the following sums during the past month:

And that the following balances were in his hands:

Tradesmen’s and Other Accounts

  A number of accounts amounting to £1,829  12s  10d. were examined and passed for payment.

Memorandum of General District Rate

  The Rates Clerk submitted the following memorandum of general district rate:

  The Rates Clerk also submitted a list of the irrecoverable amounts, and it was resolved to recommend the Council that they be written off as such.

Housing, Etc., Act, 1923

  The Clerk reported the receipt of formal sanctions from the Ministry of Health to the borrowing by the Council of loans as follow:

£3,700 for 60 years

£208 for 20 years

£42 for 30 years

in connection with the erection of eight houses on the Newton-road estate and works in connection therewith.

  It was resolved to recommend the Council to instruct the Clerk to negotiate the loans forthwith.

Main Roads

  Bedford-road Improvement. - A letter was received from the County Surveyor stating that the Roads Committee were not prepared to make any contribution towards the proposed improvement on this road and therefore the work could only go forward at the present time if the District Council were willing to accept a grant of 50 per cent. from the Ministry of Transport.  No provision having been made in this year’s estimates for a larger expenditure than 25 per cent. of the total cost for this improvement, the Committee recommended the Council that the works be postponed until another year.

  High-street South Improvement. - A letter was also received from the County Surveyor stating that, subject to the Ministry of Transport making a grant of 50 per cent. towards the cost of the work immediately in front of the South-End Schools, the Roads and Bridges Committee agreed to this work being carried out at an estimated cost of £50 if this Council would contribute 25 per cent. of the cost.  The letter further stated that if this Council were willing to carry out the remainder of the schemes with a grant of 50 per cent. from the Ministry of Transport and finding the remaining 50 per cent. themselves there was no objection to the schemes being submitted for approval and grant.  The schemes referred to were the reconstruction of the footpath from Mr. Clayton’s shop to the Wymington road and the asphalting of the footpath on the Higham road as far as the Washbrook turn.

  In the event of the Council accepting the recommendation of the committee to postpone the Bedford-road improvement, it was resolved to recommend the Council to undertake the work on these two schemes if the grant of 50 per cent. could be obtained from the Ministry of Transport.

Clerk’s Remuneration

  The committee had under consideration the remuneration of the Clerk.  It was pointed out that his present salary as Clerk to the Urban Council was £400 per year and that as Clerk to the Higham Ferrers and Rushden Water Board £150 per year, the Clerk providing offices with all necessary equipment and staff.  The committee recognised that the work in connection with the office had greatly increased during the past few years and unanimously resolved to recommend to the Council to make an allowance to the Clerk of an additional £100 per annum as a contribution towards the office expenses, dating from April 1^st last.

  The report was adopted.

Health and Sanitary Committee

  A meeting of the Health and Sanitary Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, May 6^th, 1925, when there were present: Messrs. W. Bazeley, F. Corby, D. G. Greenfield, T. F. B. Newberry, and T. Swindall.

Chairman

  It was resolved that Mr. F. Corby be appointed Chairman of this committee for the ensuing year.

Sub-Committees

  The following sub-committees were appointed:

  Cemetery – Messrs. Bazeley, Greenfield, and Newberry.

  Farm – Messrs. Corby, Spencer, and Swindall.

  Depot – Mr. T. Swindall

Health and Sanitary Reports

  The report of the Medical Officer for the month of April was received.

  The Sanitary Inspector reported that since the last meeting 23 preliminary notices had been served in respect of nuisances, of which 14 had been abated.

  Thirteen rooms had been disinfected during the past month, all after cases of infectious disease.  At the Sewage Farm a quantity of bedding had been destroyed, and at the Depot a quantity disinfected, also after cases of infectious disease.  Three Library books had also been disinfected.

  The Inspector gave a detailed statement of his work and inspections since the last meeting.

Factory Acts

  One notice had been received from H.M. Inspector of Factories, which was receiving attention.

Public Health (Meat) Regulations

  The Sanitary Inspector also reported that under these Regulations 102 visits had been made to premises where food was prepared or sold.  A number of defects were found to exist in certain of the shops, all of which had now been remedied.  During his inspections the Inspector had found a quantity of beef, pork, and mutton and a certain amount of offal, to the total weight of 2cwt. 0qr. 20lb., unfit for human consumption, which had since been destroyed in the usual way.

Hospital

  A letter was received from the Town Clerk of Higham Ferrers inquiring if in the event of a case of smallpox developing in the borough this District Council would be willing to take cases into their Hospital upon the terms of a payment per patient per week.

  The Clerk was instructed to reply that the committee could not at the present time entertain the idea of any such arrangement.  The present Hospital had only accommodation for six beds, and in their opinion it was absolutely essential that they should be reserved exclusively for Rushden.

Further Accommodation

  In order that further accommodation might be provided in case of emergency with the least possible delay, it was resolved to instruct the Surveyor to at once have brick foundations put in on the south side of the present building to accommodate a wooden erection 50ft. by 18ft.

Farm

  The Farm Committee were requested to consider as to the early sale of the present stock on the farm and to purchase a new stock to replace it.

  The report was adopted.

  In reply to a question by Mr. Perkins, the Chairman promised that the Cemetery Sub-Committee would consider the matter of leaving open the gates of the cemetery for about two hours in the evening to allow people to attend to graves.

  Mr. Hornsby asked if the committee would at the same time consider the provision of a footpath through to Newton-road, as it would fill a long-felt need.

  Mr. Horrell said there had been some negotiations pending with a view to purchasing land there.

  In accordance with notice given at the last meeting, Mr. Newberry moved that the Clerk be instructed to write to the Post Office authorities requesting that a sub post office be provided in the south end of Rushden.  He said there were factories, old-age pensioners, and a population of probably 4,000 without any facilities whatever.

  Mr. Tarry seconded, and it was carried unanimously.

  Dr. Greenfield asked whether the decision of the Council to erect public conveniences at the bottom of Newton-road was irrevocable.  If not, he wanted to move that it be revoked, because it was a great mistake to put the conveniences in the best street.  He knew that conveniences must be provided.

  Mr. Bazeley said he thought the site was a good one.

  Mr. Swindall said that tenders had been invited and would come before the Sanitary Committee.  The doctor could debate it then.

  The Chairman agreed that that would give Dr. Greenfield his opportunity to raise the question of site.

  Dr. Greenfield:  I will raise it there.

  Mr. Perkins gave notice that he would move at the next meeting that owing to the increased cost of building since the Council offered a £100 subsidy the Council consider the question of increasing the amount.

  Mr. Roe asked if it would be possible to have the water-cart out now, especially in High-street.  It was a main road from London to Leicester, and the enormous amount of traffic meant an enormous amount of dust in shopkeepers’ premises.  In many towns the principal streets were washed down.

  The Chairman said that no doubt the Surveyor would attend to the matter.