Conditions governing the installation of television aerials on Council houses were adopted by Rushden Urban Council on Wednesday.

Tenants must make written application to the Housing Manager, and consent to pay an insurance premium (to be collected with the rent) of 1s. 3d. per annum, covering third party risks and damage to the houses. No work may be carried out without the Council’s permission.

Arrangements were made with St. Mary’s Parochial Church Council for the winding of the church clock by the verger at a remuneration of £20 per annum. Inquiries may be made as to the possibility of illuminating the clock face and arranging for the mechanism to be operated electrically.

Notice was received that the Minister of Town and Country Planning has listed as buildings of special architectural or historical interest for protection under the Town and Country Planning Act, St. Mary’s Church, Manor Farm, Bedford Road, Rushden Hall, and No. 22 High Street South.

Hilly Farm, Bedford Road, Nos. 20 and 22, Bedford Road, and St. Mary’s Vestry Hall will be safeguarded by the local planning authority.

Of the second group, Coun. A. A. Allebone reported: “The County Council will keep an eye on them and see that they are not spoilt.”

Rushden Industrial Co-operative Society agreed to maintain two electric lamps in Milton Place on the Council undertaking to pay for the electricity consumed.

Frontage owners in Quorn Road are to be consulted as to whether they desire the street to be made up under the Private Streets Works Act.

Five births and 13 deaths were reported during January. The Medical Officer also reported another case of poliomyelitis.

A contract for reinstatement work at Rushden Hall grounds was entered into with a Putney firm for a provisional sum of £2,926.

At the suggestion of the local bands it was decided to improve the seating arrangements at Hall Park concerts during the coming season.

The Finance Committee, “although not without sympathy,” turned down an application from the Rushden Three Arts Club for the use of the reading room at the Public Library each Saturday evening.

It was decided to advertise for a librarian following the intimation that Miss Marion Perkins will resign on April 30th consequent upon her forthcoming marriage.

When the meeting opened, the vice-chairman (Coun. F. E. Brown) offered the Council’s congratulations to Messrs. John Cave and Sons, boot manufacturers, on their centenary, and to the chairman of the Council (Mr. W. E. Capon) on his personal jubilee of service to the firm.

The record, he said, was one to be proud of, and Mr. Capon’s influence had done much to bring prosperity to the firm and honour to the town. The general public would wish to express appreciation of the service that Mr. Capon had given to the town over a number of years.

Street Will Be Repaired Soon

A promise that Upper Queen Street, now in a sorry condition after trenching operations, will be repaired within a few weeks, was made at Rushden Urban Council’s meeting on Wednesday.

Coun. A. H. Dickens referred to the condition of the street and asked what action the Highways Committee proposed to take.

Coun. A. A. Allebone replied that the committee was well aware of the parlous state of the road and had sympathy with the inhabitants. It had been necessary to re-lay the sewer, and then the surface water drains had to be replaced.

Two other operations followed, and it would have been folly completely to make up the road in between these jobs. The Surveyor, however, was getting on with the work and hoped to re-make the road in a matter of a few weeks.

The Council approved in principle a proposal that plots of land fronting on Upper Queen Street and Lawton Road should be acquired as housing sites. It was explained that part of Upper Queen Street will have to be made up in connection with the development of the new housing estate and that the purchase of sites now in private ownership will dispose of the difficult question of applying the Private Streets Works Act.

There were 46 applications for licences to build new houses by private enterprise. Only five licences were available for issue, however, and they were granted to Mr. A. G. Crowdy (for a house in Harvey Road), Mr. L. G. Sherrill, Mr. A. A. Sears (Park Avenue), Mr. G. G. Hooton (Talbot Road), and Mr. T. G. Jackson (Link Road).

Sites

The Housing Committee directed that in future applicants must specify the sites of the proposed houses and the names of the builders.

Coun. A. H. Bailey said it would be hard on people who put in preliminary applications if, when further licences became available for issue, they stood no better chance than new applicants.

Coun. Mrs. Muxlow replied that licences had been issued to people who were not prepared to build, and this had caused delay and trouble with the Ministry. The committee obviously must give consideration to the length of time that applications had been in.

A negotiated contract was entered into with Messrs. Robert Marriott, Ltd., for the erection of 20 Unity houses and 12 maisonettes on the Upper Queen Street estate for the provisional sum of £38,277. This is subject to the approval of the Ministry of Health.

The Housing Manager (Mr. H. C. Allen) reported that 154 tenancy applications were received during 1949. The total number of applicants is now about 400.

A letter from the East Midlands Electricity Board stated that until a new cable is laid in Headingly Road it will not be possible to decide whether houses in Trafford Road and Oval Road can be supplied.

Building plans included the following : Change of use from welding shop to potato crisp factory, Portland Road, Mr. R. D. Quennell; extension to kitchen, 119, Hall Avenue, Mr. W. T. Maddock; timber store, Wellingborough Road, C. Norris and Son Ltd.; alterations to bar of Wheatsheaf Inn, Campbell Praed and Co. Ltd.; coal and cycle shed, 90, Higham Road, Mr. Parsler; greasing bay and washdown, Higham Road Vehicle Hire and Supply Co.; garage, “Mandeville,” Quorn Road, Mrs. M. Shrive; garage, “Marston House,” Quorn Road, Mr. C. R. Dickens; bathroom, 19 Fern Road, Mr. J. Fox; conversion of bedroom to bathroom and boxroom, 50, Sartoris Road, Mr. W. Sharp; extension to sub-station, Park Road, East Midlands Electricity Board; bathroom, 5, Queen’s Terrace, Mr. W. Stocks; garage, “Eastville,” Lawton Road, Mr. J. Lilley; extension to factory, Rectory Road, Denbros Ltd.; garage and coal store, 44, Purvis Road, Mr. D. G. Winters; garage and coal store, 46 Purvis Road, Mr. E. R. White; change of use from garage to dry cleaning factory, 71, Midland Road; house, Harvey Road, Mr. A. G. Crowdy.