Mexborough and Swinton Times April 12, 1935
Conisborough Urban Council
Direct Labour
Ministry’s Sanction of Housing scheme
Tributes to Retiring Members
The chairman and vice-chairman of the Conisborough Urban Council, Messrs. T. J. Gregory and G. Chadfield, were again unable to attend the monthly meeting on Wednesday, owing to illness, Mr Ben Roberts presided.
With reference to the Council’s application to the Unemployment Assistance Board that the expenses incurred by Conisborough and Denaby men in getting to and from Mexborough, be taken into account in their allowance, the Clerk (Mr. Spencer Baker) reported receipt of a communication from the U. A. B. Officer at Mexborough, saying that the matter had been referred to the district officer at Sheffield. He had been visited by the district officer who had asked him what the procedure was prior to January 1st, when the U. A. B. Regulations came into operation. He (the Clerk) had referred him to the local public assistance officer.
Further communication was also received from the Ministry of Labour, reiterating that they were unable to establish a sub- office at Conisborough, and pointing out that the Mexborough and Swinton traction Company already issued tickets enabling men to make two journeys to Mexborough for 6d. It was decided that the Clerk again write to the authorities concerned pointing out that as there were no way for the men to avoid this expense unless they walked, it should be calculated as a deduction from income.
Disclosure
Mr. Troughton complained that the matter dealing with the council’s accounts had recently appeared in a local newspaper, and had presumably been contributed by Mr. Webster. According to standing orders a member of a committee should not disclose business transacted in committee. Mr. Webster: well, what are you going to do about it?
Mr. Gomersall: I suggest he is expelled (laughter)
Mr. Webster said all he had done was to give some information about a meeting of the council held on March 18th.
Underspent or overspent
Moving the minutes of the finance subcommittee, Mr Gomersall said the returns showed that they underspent their estimates last year by £1798. Mr Webster pointed out that though the returns showed that they were underspent to the extent they had not spent £2,154 on roads which they should have spent and there was also £249 which they should have spent on sewage disposal. On the other hand, they had spent £221 more on the bus then they estimated, and altogether they had spent £921 on the bus during the year, they had some income from this source to set against that figure.
Mr. R. J. Troughton said that by deducting the £2154 which should have been spent on the roads that left them with a definite overspending of £356. On the other hand they spent on repairs to the baths, £222 which was not in the estimate. They also spent £58 in painting which was not in the estimate, and the isolation hospital called for £564 not estimated for. These three items totalled £844.
Direct Labour Sanctioned
The clerk confirmed the supplementary recommendation of the Finals Committee and mention that the Ministry of Health sanction the Council scheme Bill 100 ounces in the slum clearance orders, by direct labour, of borrowing of £29,300 subject to special conditions.
Housing Costs
Referring to the expenditure of £29,300 on housing, Mr Webster said he was in favour of that provided it stop there. No one seemed to realise that they had been asked for an extra 6 pounds per house by the surveyor from previous schemes of this sort. They did not want another £600 putting on.
The Chairman ruled Mr Webster out of order, saying there would be an opportunity of discussing this question later.
Immunisation
Moving confirmation of the minutes of the Sanitary and Highway Committee Mr Gomersall mentioned that 1258 children in the town are been immunised against diphtheria. That figure represented about a third of the children attending school. Arrangements have now been met for adults and children below school age to have the benefit of immunisation.
Shelter for Unemployed
with regard to the provision of a shelter for the unemployed, Mr Gomersall said the be pointed out that the facilities offered at the Conisbrough Welfare Institute will not be available every day, therefore an imported asked for the use of a shared in Ivanhoe Park. It was recommended that the use of this be granted and that Mr G Oldfield and the surveyor (Mr H Thirlwall) go into the details and report.
Leave Taking
several members to the opportunity to pay tribute to the retiring members, Mrs Levers and Messrs H.H.Wray, A Liversedge and a W W.Gillott.
The chairman said his members had attended regularly and done their best to serve the community. He did not think anyone had been a more regular attender than Mr Wray. Although they were retiring for the Council for the time, they will doubtless still find much public work to occupy them.
Mr Webster said that all the retiring members were “Independents” and they look like leaving him an outsider at 14 to 1 (laughter). The retiring members had done a tremendous amount of work, much of which have been done in a quiet way inside and was therefore not fully appreciated by the public.
Mr Troutan said the retiring members at work quietly and satisfactorily they were not like Mr Webster and himself who talked so much accomplished so little (Laughter).
Mr Gomersall associated himself what Mr Webster said. It was noteworthy that Mr Webster, a “blatant publicity man,” to pay tribute to the entire work accomplished by these councillors. It was inside were all the real work of the Council was done.
Mrs Levers, who broke down, apologised for doing so, but said that she felt the break very keenly. She thanked them all and wish the Council success. She was sorry Mrs Wright had not been successful; she would have liked them to have retained at least one woman.