South Yorkshire Times: Saturday, May 25, 1957

Like Harrogate or Scarborough
Urban Councils Aim for Future Conisbrough

County Coun Jim Prendergast was elected chairman of Conisbrough Urban Council at their annual meeting on Wednesday. Coun. Prendergast is N.U.M. branch secretary at Cadeby Colliery.

He has been an urban councillor for nine years, and has served as chairman of a number of the councillors committees.

The retiring chairman. Ald. Ben Roberts. J. P., said Coun Prendergast had served the public faithfully and he hoped he would have a very successful year. Coun. Harry Gomersall, said Coun. Prendergast was a “very progressive type of man”.

Coun. R. H. Shepherd, who has been four times chairman of the council, was elected vice chairman. He said the Urban Council would make the district as good a place to live in as Harrogate or Scarborough. He admitted the rates were high, but said the Council needed the money to improve the district. He said that the Council had been petitioned asking where the rates were being spent, and a public meeting had been arranged for tonight (Friday).

“The public just want to look around a bit to see where the money has been spent”. He said.

Several councillors pay tribute to the work done by last year’s chairman, Ald. Ben Roberts, J. P., who in reply said “None of us can ever satisfy the public but I have satisfied myself that I have always tried to do what is right”.

He said the officials had helped a lot during his term as chairman. He said that Mr R. E. Ingleby, the Public Health Officer, had done a good job in slum clearance and that the present Clerk of the council, Mr R. F. Edwardson, was “the best clerk we had ever had.”

The members agreed to add another committee – the Law and Parliamentary committee – to the constitution.