Tenants May Have To Move House for a Week

Council house tenants left a meeting with their local authority represent with mixed feelings on Wednesday over Conisbrough Urban C modernisation plan for about 148 pre-war houses In Conisbrough and Denaby

About 100 people to attend the meeting at the invitations had been handed out to a selection of tenants affected by the modernisation plan. The houses are in the dealings Avenue, sandal Road, Lowes Road and Harthill Road, Conisbrough and Church Walk, Denaby.

Improvements are expected to take one week per house.

The improvements comprise Installation of central heating, rewiring, re-tiling, modern fireplace, sink unit, bath and toilet. They are to be paid for by the Council house tenants out of the lousing Revenue Account.

The tenants met on Monday formulate a list of 17 questions to ask the Council, and were told on Wednesday that if there was a way of carrying out the improvements without necessitating removal it would be done, otherwise a number of houses have been set aside for temporary re-housing while the repairs are carried out.

A group of tenants told the “South Yorkshire ‘Times” after the meeting that the improvements, included central heating units to burn either coke or coal, would increase their rents by 1,3s. 4d. per week.

No Recompense

They said that old Yorkshire Range cooking facilities would be removed and replaced by now cookers for pensioners. They had been told, they said, that no recompense could be offered to tenants who had already improved their homes.

For Mr. Elijah Price, of 12, hart-hill Road, it will mean that the rent for his two up, two down house will go up from £1 9s 5d. To 32 2s 9d, “I am not satisfied with it,” he said. “I think it is too much for our type of houses, and prefer a little more modernisation but with not such a height increase in rent.”

Mr full stop Edwin Longbottom, of 20 Harthill Rd, said of the meeting:” it was complete antagonism from most of the tenants and the council made it equally obvious that they intended to carry out improvements anyway.

“It has been of value in one respect because they made it clear that they were going ahead,” added.

Mrs. Vera Brookes, of 85, Daylands Avenue said, “I am still no wiser than I was. The position is still as vague as ever over several issues.”

Mr. Alan Duffty, who spoke to people after the meeting, commented: “I asked most of the people if they were satisfied and three people said they were.”

Mr. Graham Kirby, Secretary of the Denaby and Conisbrough Citizen’s Association, who have been connected with the objections to the improvement scheme since their foundation, paid: “The meeting has been 12 months too late because the people, have been living under the threat of a rent increases, Several of them have gone to the meeting to find they have been worrying about ‘nothing.”

Pleased

He added later, “The fact that there has been a meeting is better than not having one at all,”

After the meeting, Coun. R. L. Warren, one of the representatives for the South Ward, where Daylands Avenue is situated, said he was pleased with the meeting

“It has gone well, for tile simple, reason that it does help to clear the air. You do find people’s problems and they see your point of view” he said.

Chairman of the Council, Coun. P. O’Neill, was equally satisfied. “The tenants seemed to be considerate, it has cleared the air and has been useful as far as getting information is concerned. They have now got it from the fountain head and we have overcome some of the problems.”

New Dwellings

The Chief Public Health Inspector, Mr. E. T. Swift said that 50 new dwellings will be available to rehouse displaced tenants within the next six months and a further 273 will be built over the next two years. Many, it was ‘stated, have already been rehoused,

An inspection of the Cliff View houses, said Mr. Swift, Revealed defects in natural lighting, ventilation, drainage, sanitary conveniences and freedom from clamp. The houses were also unstable. “These houses are deemed unfit for human habitation by reason of the fact that they are so far defective in one or more of the above matters that they are not reasonably suitable for occupation in that condition,” he said.

The Council’s Engineer and Surveyor, Mr. R. Clark said that the part of the town where the clearance area is, would be redeveloped by 19701971. Most of the houses in question are owned by the N.C.B.

Mr. Beetham-Shaw made an inspection of the houses on Tuesday morning and the Minister’s decision will be announced later on.