A special meeting of the Rushden Urban Council, in order to discuss the housing question, was held on Monday evening, when there were present Councillors T. Wilmott, J.P., (chairman), F. Knight, J.P., (vice-chairman), T. Swindall, J. Claridge, J.P., C.C., J. Spencer, J.P., W. Bazeley, J.P., C. Bates, J. Hornsby, F. Green, and J. Tomlin, with the Clerk (Mr. G. S. Mason) and the Surveyor (Mr. W. B. Madin).

  The Clerk read a circular from the Local Government Board, asking what progress the Urban Council had made with the housing scheme.

  Mr. Bazeley: The Local Government Board know how far we have got.

  The Clerk: They know you have selected a site.

  Mr. Bazeley: They have had a plan to show how many houses could be erected on the site.

  The Clerk: No. They want a definite answer whether we are prepared to go on with the scheme immediately.

  Mr. Claridge: How many houses does the scheme provide for?

  The Chairman: About 100.

  The Clerk: The idea is that we should not build any more streets as streets.  We are to raise the money in the open market for the whole of the scheme, and it is estimated we shall not get the money under 5½ per cent.  We shall raise the money for 50 or 60 years, according to the consent given.

  Mr. Bazeley: I think they will be extending the period to 80 years.

  The Clerk: If the scheme does not pay its way the idea is that after seven years’ trial the Government will contribute 75 per cent. of the loss.  If we lose £100 a year on the whole scheme the Government will find £75 out of the £100, and the other £25 would fall on the rates, but if the 25 per cent. loss exceeds an amount equal to a rate of 1d. in the £, the Government will also make that up, so that we stand to lose not more than £140 a year.  At the expiration of the seven years the houses are to be valued, and then we shall see what money we owe on the mortgage.  If the valuation of the houses at that time is less than the cost, through a decrease in the cost of building materials, etc., the Government will pay us 75 per cent. of the capital, and we bear only 25 per cent.

  In answer to Mr. Bazeley, the Surveyor said the cost of building would be over 100 per cent. above the pre-war cost.

  Mr. Knight said he had refrained hitherto from taking part in the discussions on the housing question, but he was thoroughly in favour of it.  The property would be valued seven years after completion.  If building materials went down to their normal price the houses would not be of the same value as the present-day cost, but the Government would bear three-quarters of the loss.  The houses were wanted.  If there was any other land more suitable than the site selected there was no contract on the part of the Council to purchase the Newton-road site, and they were at perfect liberty to buy elsewhere.  The need for houses in Rushden was most urgent.  Nobody could remove into the town from the outside because there were no houses available.  There never was a time when, from the appearances of trade, houses would be more urgently required.  We did not want Rushden to be behind other towns.  He did not want Rushden to suffer through the Urban Council not being progressive enough to undertake the duties which devolved upon them.  If they waited for private enterprise they would have to wait for a very long time, and the Local Government Board knew this, and that was why they were asking local Authorities to take it up.  He would be almost ashamed if they did not take this question in hand and provide houses.  If the houses cost more they could not help it; they could not build cheaper in Rushden than elsewhere.  There was a prospect of Rushden growing more than ever before if they provided enough suitable homes.  The trade in Rushden warranted it, and they heard of other industries, currying, etc., which would employ hands, but they could not have these industries unless there were more houses.  He hoped they would make a great effort to meet this demand.  Men were coming home from the front, and they wanted them to have a home to come to, and if 100 houses were not sufficient he hoped they would build 200 or 300.  The Government knew the difficulty and were prepared to help them.  They must push the scheme for all it was worth.  He hoped Rushden would be one of the first towns to take up the matter.

  Mr. Bazeley endorsed the remarks of Mr. Knight as to the importance of this question.  The housing conditions in Rushden to-day were a scandal and a menace to the health of the town.  The complaints and inquiries he heard every week in regard to the difficulty of getting homes showed a painful state of affairs, and the public of Rushden were looking to the local authority to push on this matter at the earliest opportunity.  With Mr. Knight, he hoped the Council would do so.  If not, the County Council had power to go over the heads of the local authority and build for them.  He hoped that would not be necessary in the case of Rushden.  The number of families occupying two rooms was very great.

  Mr. Swindall: I rise to a point of order.  Why waste time?  We are all of one opinion that we should take this matter in hand.

  Mr. Bazeley: I was afraid the Council was not all of one mind.  I am glad to hear it.

  The Clerk: What we want is a scheme preparing, and then we can get on with the road-making, etc.

  The Chairman agreed with Mr. Swindall that they were all in favour of the scheme.  It was wrong to say that private enterprise would not do it.  Private enterprise could not do it at the present prices of materials.

  Mr. Spencer proposed that they proceed with the building scheme at the earliest possible moment, and that plans be prepared at once and submitted to the Government.

  Mr. Tomlin seconded, and it was carried unanimously.

  Messrs. Wilmott, Bazeley, and Tomlin were appointed a committee to consider details for the purchase of the site already selected, so that the contract could be signed at the next meeting of the Council.

  Mr. Knight said he understood that twelve designs for houses had been prepared by the Local Government Board, which might be useful to the Surveyor or the architect who prepared the plans.

  The Clerk said that no doubt the architect would have those designs before him.

  The Local Government Board offered to release at once from the Army men who were needed in preparing schemes, etc., and, on the motion of Mr. Spencer, it was decided to ask for the release of Mr. J. W. Lloyd, the former assistant surveyor.

  It was decided to ask the Surveyor to work in conjunction with Messrs. Talbot Fisher and Brown, architects, of Wellingborough, in preparing a scheme, to include laying out the necessary roads, making sewers, and preparing plans for the houses.  It was resolved to reply to the Local Government Board, stating that the Council hoped to have the scheme complete by February.