Mexborough & Swinton Times, June 1st 1957
“ Opposition party”
A possibility at Conisbrough
In the second round of the ‘battle’ between tenants of Conisbrough Council houses and the Council, tenants of Windmill estate have gained support from other Council house tenants in Conisbrough, who are also to petition the council after a “trial period” of one month, if they consider there is no improvement in the repairs position.
On Friday, tenants of Windmill estate met councillors at a public meeting following a petition. They complained that they were not getting house repairs done, and the councillors said that as soon as a repairs fund could be built up, the council would tackle the many repairs needed.
Mrs. Hilda Shelton, of 69, Windmill Avenue, Windmill estate, who organised the first petition, is to organise the second one on the Windmill estate “ if there are no improvement in the estate repairs.” She said, “ the tenants do not seem to be satisfied with the answers the councillors gave at a public meeting and we shall give them a trial period of one month.”
Mr. Charles Swinbourne, of 10 Warren Rd, N.C.B. lorry driver, is to organise a petition on the Daylands estate if nothing is done within a month.
Mr. Harry Hill, of 18, Gomersall Avenue, a contractror at Cadeby Colliery, and Mr M Shaw, of 2 Gomersall Avenue, a collier at Cadeby colliery, are to organise a similar petition in the Conanby estate. “There is no encouragement to do repairs up here when the house is are in pretty poor state to start with,” Mr. Hill said.
On the Windmill estate there are about 300 council houses, and the Daylands estate about 400, and on the Conanby estate about 200 houses.
“Getting together”
The action of the tenants may start an opposition party, for Mr. Swinbourne told a reporter that the tenants were getting together. He said, “ If I had my way I would start an Association in opposition to the Labour Council. Now that the rents and rates are increasing so much, something will have to be done.”
When asked if he intended starting an opposition party, he said he would wait until he knew the opinions of the other tenants on the other estates. When told of the tenants proposals, chairman of the council, county Coun. Jim Prendergast, J. P. Said he could not make any further statement until the matter had been considered at the next meeting of the housing committee during the second week in June.