Conisborough Parish Council – Accounts – Election Expenses

July 1895

Mexborough and Swinton Times, July 5, 1895

Conisborough Parish Council

Accounts

The accounts having been read, the Chairman took exception to the clerk’s charge of £1 10s 9d for his fee for election expenses. Could he have that post next time? (Laughter)

The Clerk: You could have had it before. (Laughter)

The total election expenses amounted to £12 15s 3d. The charge for polling clerks was 25s a day.

Mr Norwood said there was a scale somewhere.

Mr Whitfield said that he believed a reduced scale of charges that come out for School Board election expenses. They were now reduced by a quarter what they were.

Mr Norwood: I suppose the charges are made according to scale?

The Clerk said that if the charges were extortionate as the chairman alleged, the auditor would soon find that out. (Laughter)

Mr Jones moved that the account stand over to the next meeting.

Mr Gillott moved that they be paid when the council got the money. (Laughter)

Mr Marsh seconded.

Mr Norwood: You had better settle it now. (hear, hear)

The Chairman: I shall never agree to Mr Lambert having £3 a day! It is an extortionate charge! We are not going to be swindled. (Laughter) I have never heard of £3 3s 0d for the day’s work (hear, hear)

Mr Holmes: it is according to scale.

The Chairman: It is a waste of parish money.

Mr Holmes: we can pass a resolution signifying that the charge is extorted.

Mr Booth: The question is this: are these charges according to the schedule formulated by the Local Government Board. If not, but not till then, I dissent.

The Chairman: Yes, but a new scale of charges are coming out, and then the presiding officers and poll clerks will get about a quarter of what they would have done.

Mr Booth: What does that matter? The election was carried on in accordance with the old scale of charges, and the old scale of charges will have to be paid. The money ought to have be paid before.

Mr Gillott: put the resolution to the meeting.

Mr Marsh: If it is to scale, we are bound to pay it.

Mr Holmes thought the question ought to stand over to another meeting, and in the meantime the scale of charges be referred to.

The clerk said it was the same charge that was made at all places. They didn’t expect him to do the work for less than anyone else? Mr Clark had been sent there.

The Chairman: Who sent for him?

The clerk: I don’t know..

The Motions were put to the meeting with the following result:

For the resolution            4

For the amendment       6

The question was accordingly postponed.

Mr Gillott (addressing the Chairman): We have to pay money very often that we don’t want to pay. (Hear, hear)

The Clerk (addressing Mr Whitfield (: Do you think you can fix the charge?

The Chairman: No, but I think the Council should have a voice in it. It is evident that the charges are too much because the School Board scale is being reduced.

Mr Norwood: the president is a reduced scale; it used to be twice.

Mr senior: As the Clerk had the same fee for being poll clerk in cases where there has not been a ballot?

The Clerk: I have not. Some time ago I acted as presiding officer for 25 shilling and I have never got it yet. (Laughter and hear, hear)

The Chairman: That’s got nothing to do with it. (Laughter)

The question was accordingly deferred.