South Yorkshire Times – Friday 20 April 1934

Conisboro’ U.D.C.

Vice-Chairman Passed Over

Labour Party Discipline

Woman’s Protest

At the annual meeting of the Conisboro’ Urban Council on Monday there was a contest for the chair. Mrs. E. Levers, the vice-chairman, was passed over by the Labour Party, whose nominee was Mr. T. J. Gregory, who was chairman in 1930.

After Mr. Gregory had been proposed, Mr. H. W. Gillott proposed Mr. W. J. Webster: “Where is last year’s vice-chairman. Has it not been customary to put the vice-chairman into the chair?”

The Clerk (Mr. Spencer Baker): It has been the practice, but I remember six or seven years ago it was not done.

Mr. A. A. Chadfield: It has been left to this Council.

Mrs. Levers protested against the unfairness of the Labour Party, which she described in view of her work for the party. She left the Labour Party ten months ago because she was “kept down” by them. They had made her vice-chairman, and because she had left the party she had been “thrashed behind her back.” She had never been given an opportunity to defend herself. “I have a lot more to say, not in this Council, but outside,” she continued. “I want to ask these councillors if they would like their wives treating as I have been treated.”

SILENCE A VIRTUE.

Mr. G. Oldfield: Silence to-night is a virtue in this Council chamber.

Mr. Webster: Of course, if there is not an answer silence is best.

Mr. Webster proposed the election of Mrs. Levers and Mr. H. Wray, whose nomination Mr. Gillott agreed to withdraw, seconded.

Mr. J. T. E. Collins: Why is the vice-chairman not being proposed by the party which is in the majority on this Council? I well remember a lady vice-chairman being elevated to the chair.

Mr. Oldfield: Will Mr. Collins say why he is a member of the Minority movement, then I will answer him?

The Clerk: I don’t think political differences should be thrashed out in the Council chamber.

Mr. Collins: I am a member of the Minority movement because it is out to “ginger up” the Labour movement and trade unionism. I can go further into that at the proper time. This is merely an evasion of my question.

Mr. H. Gomersall: We are not compelled to reply and we are not going to reply.

Mr. Gregory was elected by eight votes to four.

Mr. Ben Roberts, the retiring chairman, congratulated him on the honour and thanked the councillors and officials for their help during his year.

Mr. Gregory thanked the Council for electing him and said he would endeavour to do his best for the community.

Mr. Collins moved and Mr. Wray seconded a vote of thanks to the retiring chairman.

VICE-CHAIRMANSHIP.

Messrs. Chadfield, Wray and Collins were moved for the position of vice-chairman, but Mr. Wray withdrew in favour of Mr. Collins, and Mr. Chadfield was elected, the voting again 8–4.

COMMITTEE WORK.

Mr. Wray moved that the Council have smaller committees, following the proposal of Mr. Gomersall that the Finance, Sanitary and Highways, Housing and Town Planning, Allotments, and Baths Committees be comprised of the whole Council.

Mr. Wray suggested the committees should each consist of eight members.

Mr. Gomersall said they had tried this, but members complained that only at the ordinary Council meeting did they get an opportunity of passing an opinion on the work done in committees.

Mr. Wray’s amendment was not seconded and the committees were constituted as suggested by Mr. Gomersall.

RENT SPECIALIST DROPPED.

A proposition that the Rent Restrictions Act Committee should consist only of members of the Council drew a question from Mr. Collins as to why the change was suggested.

Mr. Oldfield said he was opposed to the constitution of the committee last year. He had a principle to fight.

Mr. Collins: That is rather funny coming from the mover, because he sat on a committee of which he did not approve. Because the active members of the committee have been making things interesting it is considered advisable to give him no further opportunity of doing so. If only councillors are going to comprise this committee it would be as well if they made themselves conversant with the provisions of the Act. When a co-opted member can bring useful assistance to a committee I think we should continue to have co-opted members.

Mr. Oldfield’s amendment was carried.

CONFERENCE EXPENSES.

When the question of appointing representatives to the Urban District Councils’ Association conference at Whitby was raised, Mr. Wray objected to the allowance of expenses at the rate of 32s. 6d. per day. He proposed 25s.

Mr. Gomersall: The question of cost does not enter into this at the moment.

It was decided to send delegates subject to their expenses not exceeding 25s. per day, plus third-class railway fares.

PRESS ACCOMMODATION.

The Clerk reported the receipt of a letter from the South Yorkshire branch of the National Union of Journalists complaining of inadequate accommodation for the Press in the Council chamber, and mentioning that the Conisboro’ Council was the only authority in the district which regularly failed to start its meetings at the advertised time. Following a complaint at a meeting he had been incorrectly reported, which was not really surprising in view of the facilities afforded.

The Chairman promised that the Council would see that adequate accommodation was provided for the Press, and that the public meetings should be started punctually.

APPOINTMENTS.

Committees and representatives were elected as follows:—

Finance Sub-Committee: Messrs. R. J. Troughton, Wray, Gomersall, Oldfield, Gregory and Chadfield.

Library Committee: Messrs. D. Sheldon, Gomersall, Troughton, R. Shephard, T. Shephard, and Messrs. Cheshire, Bashforth and Proctor and co-opted members.

Rent Restrictions Act Committee: Messrs. Gomersall, Oldfield, Gregory, T. Shephard, Sheldon, Wray and Collins.

Guardians’ Committee: Messrs. Troughton, Gregory and T. Shephard.

Conisboro’ Joint Burials Committee: Messrs. Roberts, Gomersall, Sheldon, Gregory, Troughton, R. Shephard and Wray.

Doncaster and Mexboro’ Joint Hospital Board: Messrs. Troughton, Chadfield, and Sheldon.

Education Sub-Committee: Messrs. Gomersall, Troughton, Chadfield, and Fathers Holohan, the Rev. S. Powley, and Mrs. Wright nominated as County Council representatives.

St. Alban’s School managers: Mr. Collins. Old Denaby School managers: Mr. Gomersall.

Conisboro’ Old Age Pensions Sub-Committee: Messrs. Oldfield, Wray, Sheldon, Roberts, R. Shephard, T. Shephard, and Collins.

West Riding Playing Fields Association: Mr. Troughton.

To Urban Councils’ Association conference: Chairman and Clerk