Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Thursday 15 October 1931
Officials’ Salaries.
Conisborough Council Defer Consideration
Conisborough Urban Council last night refused to alter their opinion about the reduction of officials’ salaries as their share toward national economy.
The minutes of a special meeting recommending that the matter be deferred until December were objected to by Mr. J. Webster, and his motion of non-confirmation was seconded by Mr. C. Webster.
Councillor B. Roberts said the Council had considered the facts and had agreed to defer the reductions after Councillor J. Webster had first moved a reduction in the case of the Surveyor only and then of all salaries over £260. That was not consistent.
Councillor Webster regretted the necessity for reduction and said that the Surveyor’s figures showed that he got over £1,000. The staff came to the meeting and told them they would hang together, and he thought they should hang together properly. They should not told by the officials what the Council should do. If they made a start with the boss they would be able to economise elsewhere.
The minutes were confirmed by 7 votes to 3.
Rate Unchanged.
When it was announced that the district rate of 8s. 9d. in the £ would be unchanged for the ensuing half-year, Councillor Webster said they should issue an ultimatum to the officials and tell them to make a reduction somewhere.
The Surveyor said the promised reduction was not to take place until next year.
A deputation of unemployed workers of Conisborough pleaded with the Council for work to be found to keep them off the rates, and asked for the adoption of a rota system which had been utilised elsewhere successfully.
Mr. J. Pearsall (secretary of the local Unemployed Workers’ Movement) said the Council had men working overtime and on Sundays, and thought the unemployed should be given a chance.
The Council agreed that the question should be considered at a special meeting.
Councillor J. Webster moved that the Council should refer back a minute suggesting the purchase of land at £165 per acre for the purpose of a new housing site. He thought they had sufficient houses and that the time was inopportune and that other work should done in the meantime to prepare for the building of further houses.
He pointed out the accountant’s warning to the Council that was time that the Council called a halt in their expenditure, so that they would not become bankrupt. The Surveyor said that it would take some time to prepare a scheme for 300 more houses and that it was now that they should secure the land.