Conisborough Parish Council meeting – North Cliff and Edlington Footpaths

July 1915

Mexborough and Swinton Times July 17, 1915

Conisborough Parish Council meeting
North Cliff and Edlington Footpaths

The monthly meeting of the Parish Council was held in the Station Road hotel on Wednesday evening. The councillors in attendance were Messrs. W. Appleyard (Chairman), S. C. Urch (vice-chairman), W. H. Jones, J. Doran. T. Hill C. Bashforth, W. H. Barwell, G. Starr, and R. Troughton, with Mr Jesse Hill (Clerk) and A. Hodgson (Cemetery caretaker).

The solicitors fees for the Edlington and North Cliff footpath improvement, as intimated by the Clerk, amounted to 4 guineas. The legal agreement relating to the improvement or dispensing of the Edlington footpath was accepted as satisfactory by the council. The vice chairman (Mr S.C. Urch) and Coun. Doran were appointed to see the work of fencing completed.

Northcliffe footpath fencing and deviation again led to a heated discussion.

Council moved that the matter had been left as had been arranged at the last meeting, and accepted by the ratepayers meeting.

Coun. Troughton was of the opinion that a legal written agreement ought to have been obtained. He contended that the deviation favoured Mr F. Montagu, improving the land for building purposes, whilst the diversion would only favour a part of the public. A legal agreement would be of service to the future councils.

Coun. Jones thought the work should not be delayed, but rather proceeded with at once.

Coun. Bashfoth supported the proposition to go forward. He had used the path for nine years, and often found it in a deplorable condition in wintertime.

Coun. Urch said he was in entire agreement. That the work should be completed, yet he maintained that the council should be safeguarded by having the agreement. Not in a verbal but in a written legal form. He was of the opinion that the North Cliff Hills were free to the public. He could not remember any legal prosecution and he wanted something definite.
Coun. Troughton moved an amendment that the deviation be deferred pending a written legal agreement.

Coun. Starr was surprised at Coun. Throughtons objection. Such proceedings would make the council appear foolish to the public.

Coun. Appleyard advised the council to consult Mr White. He felt sure some satisfactory arrangements could be made. He suggested that they begun to repair one end of the path at once.

The original resolution proposed by Coun. Hill was carried.

Coun. Hill referred to the construction of a public destructor. The Urban or District Council were in favour of the water carriage system. The sanitary authority had approached the property owners. The difficulty was with the large holders. The small owners were in favour.

The matter was finally left in abeyance.