Ratepayers' Aim is 2,000 Members

Membership of Rushden Ratepayers' and Tenants' Association has increased to 320 since the organisation's inception in March. Now, the committee is contemplating an organised system of canvassing which, it is hoped, will realise a total membership of about 2,000.

Mr. H. S. Wright, secretary, told the "Echo" this week: "The committee feel we are doing very well. We do, however, think that we could do much better."

Membership during the past few weeks has grown in ones and twos through people approaching the association and asking to join.

So far there has been no intensive canvassing campaign, but when there is, says Mr. Wright, as many as 500 may join in a week.

Representatives have been seen in the public seats at the two latest meetings of the urban council. Their first objective, printed on the membership forms, is: "To safeguard the interests of the ratepayers and tenants of Rushden."

Another of their objects is eventually to nominate members to stand for election on the council.

To Combine?

There is talk of combining with ratepayers' associations at Wellingborough, Finedon and Kettering, to "safeguard people's interests" in the county council.

Chairman of the association is Mr. R. Sutton, of 36 Oakley Road, a foreman engineer, who said, when trying to form the association: "The local council has got an absolutely free hand. There have been times when it has acted unwisely — and no one has done anything about it."

The association intends to Work in harmony with the council and appreciates the difficulties of councillors and officers.

‘Sacking’ A Conspiracy – Rushden Ratepayer

Last week a Rushden Ratepayers’ Association councillor was “sacked” from the all-important Finance and General Purposes Committee of Rushden Urban Council. Was it a conspiracy, a complete disregard for democratic principles and an implication that only a handful of councillors are capable of conducting council business?

Mr. R. D. Gilhooley was the sacked councillor and he claims that it was all three of these things. This week the “Echo” attempts to clear the air by giving all three sides a chance to put their views.

Basically the background is this. Ten names were put forward for nine seats on the committee. The meeting was adjourned for the interested parties to come to some mutual agreement.

When it was put to the vote, Mr. Gilhooley’s name was withdrawn from the list, leaving five Socialists and four Conservatives remaining. The vote went 11 – 4 in favour of the proposition, proposed by Mr. A. Allebone (Conservative) and seconded by Mr. C. Faulkner (Labour).

Mr. Allebone said it was important that the finance sub-committee, when dealing with salaries, staff and establishment should have some form of continuity.

Disregard

Mr. Gilhooley told the “Echo” that the aspect which distressed him most was the “complete disregard for the principles of democracy demonstrated by this action.” He said this year all the places on the committee had been filled by the Party politicians which had meant that he had been virtually sacked. He and his colleagues (there are two other Ratepayers’ Association members) had not accepted the situation and Mr. Gilhooley’s name was still put forward.

“It is sad to know that in the England of John Hampden it is possible for two numerically strong groups (the Socialists and Tories) to conspire to deprive a smaller group (the Ratepayers) of the means to represent adequately the people by whom they are elected,” he said.

“One of the reasons put forward for my elimination was that it was desirable to keep the finance sub-committee in being. This infers that there are only a few members of the council capable of carrying on the functions of the council, and the remaining councillors are some sort of second-rate people who cannot be trusted to act responsibly.

“I resent this implication and I hope that those councillors who are not among the favoured few will be equally resentful.”

Mr. Gilhooley added that he and his colleagues would have to ask a lot of questions in open council to extract information from the chairman of the finance committee. He said perhaps this would be a good thing because the information would be available to the public.

Mr. Faulkner answered all three allegations made by Mr. Gilhooley. He denied strongly that there had been a conspiracy. He pointed out that of the four people who had voted against the proposition, three had been Labour councillors.

“The easiest way round this problem would have been to have changed standing orders to allow ten people on the committee. But if you are going to change standing orders to suit convenience there is no point in having them,” he said.

Majority

On the question of the principles of democracy, Mr. Faulkner said democracy could only work if the people wanted it to work. Democracy rested on the decision taken by the majority, and Mr. Gilhooley’s name had been withdrawn on a majority decision and he should accept it.

Finally on the implication that only a handful of people could carry on the work of council, Mr. Faulkner said this was not true.

He stressed the importance of the finance committee’s work and how important it was to have some form of continuity which had to be worked within the limits of a three-year cycle (the whole council comes up for election every third year).

The committee had to deal with interest rates on temporary loans and they could change daily, and there was also a general programming down of temporary loans in favour of loans from the public works loan board.

No Reason

“I cannot see where Mr. Gilhooley has any reason to complain. He has served on the committee for two years. He served on the committee in his first year as a councillor, something which has never happened before,” said Mr. Faulkner.

Mr. Allebone said he was not the council’s official Conservative spokesman and he was not prepared to make any comments – except where it was claimed that he had inferred that only a few people were able to run the council.

“I feel very strongly about having continuity on the committee, particularly when dealing with staff wages, salaries and establishment. By up grading a position to solve a problem in one department it is quite possible to create ten more problems in other departments,” he said.

Ratepayers could cause poll shocks

Who will have overall political control of Rushden Urban Council after the by election? It is anybody’s guess and this election could provide the biggest shock in years with a major “shift” in power.

The big shock could come from Rushden Ratepayers’ Association candidates, who surprised many people by getting three representatives elected for the first time at the last election.

This year they will have at least seven candidates. Not enough to gain overall control of the 20-seat council, but enough to give them the swaying vote.

Out to stop them will be the two major parties, the Conservatives and the Socialists. Both will be trying to add to their present representation and although nomination day is not until April 2, even at this stage they have enough candidates in the field to gain overall control.

At the moment, the council is made up of ten Labour members, Seven Conservatives and three Ratepayers.

The Labour Party has the disadvantage of starting with one retiring member, Mr. Ralph Griffiths, a councillor for 15 years, not seeking re-election, an almost certain seat for them if he had. However, at this stage it already has 12 candidates, nine of them retiring members.

The Conservatives will have all seven of their retiring members seeking re-election plus five more, although one has yet to confirm that he will be standing as a Conservative.

Most interest will be centred on the North Ward, which could be thrown wide open by Mr. Griffiths’s decision not to stand.

Including Mr. Griffiths, the current representation is two Socialists, two Conservatives and a Ratepayer, making his first appearance in the elections three years ago, topped the poll.

With Mr. Griffiths out of the running, the Ratepayers will obviously feel confident at gaining at least one seat in this ward.

The other ward which could provide excitement is South Ward, represented by four Conservatives and a Ratepayer. Once again a ratepayer was elected at the last election at his first attempt.

All four retiring Conservatives will be seeking re-election and so will the Ratepayer, but he will be joined by another candidate. Labour is also trying for a gain against the Tories in this ward with two candidates.

Labour’s ace in the hole is the East Ward, where all five seats are held by Labour candidates who will be seeking re-election. In this ward Labour have everything to lose and nothing to gain.

The Conservatives will be fighting this ward with two candidates and the Ratepayers have entered one. A loss here for labour would prove a major setback. Results in this ward could even be of interest to the national Labour Party.

West Ward is at present represented by three Labour members, who will all be seeking re-election, a Conservative, who is seeking re-election, and a Ratepayer, who is also seeking re-election.

However, the Conservative will be making a strong attack on this ward, with two additional candidates, and the Ratepayers are also trying for another seat in addition to the one they hold.

The ward line-ups so far read:

NORTH WARD

Mr. Alan Allebone, 264 Wellingborough Road (C), former Chairman of the Council, first elected in 1955.

Mr. Alan Henry Edge, 24 Portland Road (L), school teacher, with a keen interest in youth work.

Mrs. Gladys Marriott, 297 Wellingborough Road (C), former Chairman of the Council, first elected in 1952.

Mr. Alan Goulsbra, Lloyds Bank Chambers, High Street, bank manager, a former councillor who was defeated at the last elections. He was not available to comment on which party he would be standing for.

Mr. Frederick Heald, 14 Purvis Road (RP), making his first bid for a council seat.

Mr. Graham Penness, 23 Church Hall Road (RP), cost accountant, who won his seat three years ago.

Mr. John Ernest Wills, 25 Pemberton Street (L), councillor for 15 years, and has served on all the major committees.

SOUTH WARD

Mr. Herbert William Catlin, 34 Wymington Road (C), headmaster of Rushden Secondary Boys’ School, and chairman of the Public Health committee.

Mr. Cyril Freeman, 109 Wellingborough Road (C), Rushden garage proprietor, first elected in 1954, former Chairman of the Council and chairman of Rushden and Higham Water Board.

Mr. Roderick D. Gilhooley, 50 Park Road (RP), retired RAF Fl. Lt. and now shop owner, first elected in 1964.

Mr. Denis B. Hunting, 1 Cedar Close (L), employed at Unilever Research Establishment, Sharnbrook, Vice-chairman of Rushden Labour Party.

Mr. Eric A. Jenkins, 19a Griffith Street (L), school teacher, with special interests in libraries, education, road safety and child welfare.

Mr. Ernest Newell, 309 Wellingborough Road (C), company secretary. Former chairman of the council and first elected in 1949.

Mrs Audrey Perkins, 98 Wymington Road (C), housewife. She is the present chairman of the council and has wide interests particularly Rushden WRVS.

Mr. Gordon Shipman, 146 Wymington Road (RP), a representative, who is standing for the first time. He has a keen interest in education.

EAST WARD

Mrs. Elsie Maye Dicks, 10 Queen Street (L), housewife, elected to the council last year. Closely associated with NUBSO, and member of the Senior Citizens’ Committee.

Mr. Cyril George Faulkner, 1 King’s Road (L), political agent. Twice chairman of Rushden council and with thirty years local government service. First elected to Rushden council in 1949.

Mr. Charles Ginns, Sunnydene, Lawton Road (L), a former chairman of the council and a member for 15 years. Local member of the Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Social Security.

Mr. David Hamblin, The Mount, Victoria Road (C), garage proprietor. This will be his fifth attempt to gain a seat on the council. Chairman of the ward Conservative Party.

Mr. Graham V. R. Hooton, 181 Queen Street (L), chairman of the Rushden Labour Party and keen youth worker. Member for three years.

Mr. Herbert H. Lumbers, 181 St. Margaret’s Avenue (C), a former member of the council who was defeated three years ago.

Mrs. Violet K. Perkins, 119 Park Road (RP), housewife, who is making her first election appearance. She is keen on Social work.

Mrs. Ada Swart, 120 Newton Road (L), housewife, who was first elected in 1964. Keenly interested in education, she is active in the WEA movement and is governor of three schools.

WEST WARD

Mr. Frank Brown, 262 Wellingborough Road (C), former chairman and “father” of the council. He was first elected in 1946. One of the most experienced candidates in the field.

Mr. W (Bill) Clarke, 31 Upper Park Avenue (C), who is well-known as chairman of Rushden Amateur Operatic Society. This is not his first attempt to become a councillor.

Mr. Rodney H. S. Greenwood, 25 St. James Close (L), who will be next year’s chairman if re-elected, in addition to his local government work is well-known as an angler.

Mr. Ralph H. Marriott, 64 Moor Road (L), first elected in 1958, and is a former chairman of the Parks, Public Health and Allotments Committees.

Mr. Edward Rowthorn, 22 Birchall Road (RP), who is making his first council election campaign. He works at the Royal Aircraft Establishment in Bedfordshire.

Mr. Arthur Sands, 20 Hillary Road (C), a representative of the British Boot and Shoe Machinery Company. A former regular soldier, this is his first attempt to seek election.

Mr. Derek Savory, 18 Blenheim Close (RP), a bank clerk, who was first elected three years ago, when he made a last-minute entry into the elections.

Mrs Doris Shrive, 131 Westfield Avenue (L), a former chairman of the council with a keen interest in road safety and infant welfare.

L – denotes Labour, C – Conservative, RP – Ratepayer.