Rushden Urban District Council

The monthly meeting of the Rushden Urban Council was held in the Vestry Hall on Wednesday evening. There were present :- Messrs. G. Denton (chairman), J. Spencer (vice-chairman), W. H. Wilkins, C. Bates, W. Bazeley, F. Knight, J. S. Clipson, T. Swindall, F. Ballard, Jack Green, and J. Hornsby; with Mr. G. S. Mason (clerk) and Mr. W. B. Madin (surveyor).

Election of Chairman

This being the first meeting after the election, the selection of chairman and vice-chairman was the first business. – Mr. J. S. Spencer had great pleasure in proposing the re-election of Mr. Denton. He was sure that the duties were well discharged last year. Mr. Denton had been fair and impartial and fulfilled his duties well in every way. – Mr. F. Knight seconded, feeling sure that he only voiced the feelings of the Council in saying that the way in which Mr. Denton had conducted the business encouraged them to re-appoint him. His experience would also be useful. – The vote was carried unanimously.

The New Members

The Clerk reported that at the recent election Messrs. Ballard, Clipson, Green, Hornsby, and Spencer were elected without contest. Four were elected for three years, but the fifth was to fill the casual vacancy arising from Mr. P. Cave’s seat being vacant, and it would have to be decided which member should fill the seat, and retire at the end of twelve months. The instructions of the Local Government Board were that in the event of a contest the member receiving the lowest number of votes should be deemed to fill the casual vacancy, but in the event of there being no contest, the Council must decide, by ballot, which member should fill that position. – Some discussion followed, Mr. Ballard remarking that the Council was in a most unfortunate position, for the decision would make one member a marked man at once, whilst Mr. Hornsby said he should prefer that his name should be taken for the casual position rather than such a vote be taken. – There being no other way out of the difficulty, the ballot was taken, with the result that the names were placed in the following order: Messrs. Spencer, Clipson, Hornsby, Ballard, and Green, the last-named therefore taking Mr. Cave’s place, and retiring at the end of twelve months.

Municipal Telephones

The Chairman and Mr. F. Knight, who, together with Mr. G. Miller, had been appointed to attend a conference at Wellingborough with regard to forming a joint Board in the Northampton area of the National Telephone Company for the promotion of municipal telephones, presented an interesting report of the conference. It was shown that much advantage had followed, especially at Tunbridge Wells, by the establishment of such a system, rates being lowered, and a considerable profit being gained. No joint Board had, however, been yet constituted, and further enquiries were being made. – The Chairman and Mr. Knight were asked to continue as a sub-committee on the matter.

Index of Council Meetings