Rushden Urban District Council has complained that they will not be consulted regarding the planning of the district. They have decided to write to the Minister of Town and Country Planning, asking him to override the decision of the County Council.

The decision was taken at Wednesday’s meeting of the Council when the Highways Committee reported: “The Committee regret that the County Council have been unable to accept the suggestions made to them for the purpose of ensuring the effective use of local knowledge and experience and for properly associating this Council in the work of planning the area, and, further, that no suggestion has been made by the County Council as to discussions with the other local authorities as a means of reaching agreement.”

It was also complained that the Joint Planning Committee had been ignored.

Councillor W. E. Capon said it seemed to the committee that the County Council were cramping their style and initiative.

The Council resolved to write to the Minister asking him to take steps to secure “a more satisfactory scheme for associating this Council in the work of planning the urban district.”

The Council confirmed tenders for 22 houses which will complete the Higham Road Estate.

Councillor T. W. Cox (chairman of the Housing Committee) said he thought that they should now be able to complete another 126 houses by the end of the year. They hoped that in the early summer they would be able to proceed with No. 3 site.

Councillor A. F. Weale said they should congratulate Mr. Cox on the efficient and forceful way he had helped forward the scheme of housing in Rushden. No one could have shown greater energy.

The new streets on the Hove Road Estate are to be called “Fenners Close” and Oval Crescent.” The fencing on the gardens of the estate is estimated to cost £3,129.

Referring to the £1,000 prize which might be won by the town, Councillor Brown asked the public to do all they could to make the Council’s paper salvage drive a success.

A warning against the centralisation of local government was given by Mr. Bailey. There could be no doubt whatever, he said, and that during the last 12 months there had been rapid and far-reaching changes in local government administration. He hoped the Council would do what it could to see that no further rights and privileges were taken from it.

The Rushden Echo and Argus, 23rd April 1948, transcribed by Jim Hollis Housing Progress Expected Housing must be Rushden Urban Council’s main activity during the coming year, declared Councillor J. H. J. Paragreen, after his unanimous election as chairman at the Council’s annual meeting on Wednesday. Mr. Paragreen, whom colleagues described as a sincere and conscientious member, said there might be developments on the third post-war estate, and the boundary question, including amalgamation with the town’s neighbours, might be decided. The new chairman may preside for an extra month, because it is proposed to hold municipal elections and the annual meeting of councils in May next year. Councillor W. E. Capon, who was chairman of the council in 1937-38, was appointed vice-chairman. He is one of twelve members who have already been through the chair.