Conisbrough Urban Council – Dust Complaints – Rent Arrears – Old People’s Welfare

October 1955

South Yorkshire Times October 29, 1955

Dust Complaints
Result of Conisbrough Council Investigation

Two Conisbrough Councillors and the Council Clerk have made house to house enquiries concerning dust complaints in Conisbrough, it was disclosed at Monday’s meeting of Conisbrough Urban Council.

The council had received complaints of dust nuisance in the houses opposite and around the Steetley ground Limestone quarries. Lorries full of limestone had been driven through Conisbrough and dust has blown from the uncovered limestone. The council was investigated complaints of the secular non-food and the sanitary inspector took samples and proved that there was an appreciable percentage of dust in them.

“This was very dangerous to the health of the people concerned,” said, Ald B. Roberts, J. P., who carried out the investigation with Coun. A. E. Tyas. Ald Roberts gained a promise from company officials that lorries would in future be covered.

Rent Arrears

“Some tenants have been repeatedly warned about their rent arrears and have taken no notice whatsoever,” and Ald. Roberts. “One tenant has been given notice to quit and as time goes on we shall have to take further steps,” he said. “We are entrusted with public money and we must deal with it in a fair but firm manner,” he added. Old age pensioners and some very poor people paid their rents regularly while others let the arrears pileup.

Coun. T. Hill said that other councillors were much worse off than they were concerning rents. Of the 1000 council tenants to Conisbrough there were only about 70 were behind him paying their rents, and of these only a few were badly in arrears.

“We do not want to create their impression that we are having a very great difficulty with the tenants” he added.

Old People’s Welfare

Council have approved an application from the local old People’s welfare committee for a annual grant of £26. “This is a very necessary cause,” said Ald. Roberts “People who have worked hard all their lives, need a little recreation and comfort in their old age.”

The council were “very concerned” about people buying houses in Conisbrough which were on the council’s list for demolition. “There were people who were not well off who bought a house only to find out later that it was on the council list for their five years and clearance plan. Buyers should be very careful,” said Ald. Roberts.

Public notices are to be posted in Conisbrough warning the public that they can and will be prosecuted if they are caught throwing litter in the streets. The council have received complaints about the state of the streets of Conisbrough, “the public are only spiting themselves,” said Coun. T. Davy, “as money has to come from them through the rates to pay men to clear away the mess.”

Coun. R. H, Sheppard hope the public would respond to the notices they did not wish to prosecute.