Barnsley Independent – Saturday 24 May 1919

Housing Matters.

Very little business of public interest was transacted at Friday night’s meeting of Darfield Urban District Council. Only four members were present, and Mr. G. Dickinson (vice-chairman) presided.

The Housing and Town Planning Committee recommended that application be made for approval of the selected sites for the housing scheme, and the loan necessary for the purchase of the land.

Mr. Taylor, chairman of this Committee, moving the adoption of the minutes, said it was due to him to be allowed to state the position in which he was placed. When he was elected a member of the Council, and afterwards appointed chairman of the Housing and Town Planning Committee, he was totally unaware that the Council already definitely agreed as to their policy of housing, that the sites had already been selected, and that the number of houses which were to be erected on those sites had been agreed upon. He was now placed as chairman of the committee to carry out a scheme in the planning, of which he had had no hand.

The minutes were approved.

Mr. Hammerton enquired whether any communication from the Local Government ‘Board had been received to the effect that all land must be valued by the official valuer.

The Clerk replied that he had received a circular from the Local Government Board suggesting that before any purchase of land was made the matter should be reported to the district valuer, and the amount of his valuation of the land ascertained. The circular also suggested that if it was desired the Inland Revenue would assist the Committee in arriving at the price for the purchase of land.

The Chairman: Our sites have already been agreed upon.

Mr. Taylor said the Housing Commissioner was sending an Inspector to Darfield on Wednesday to view the sites that had been selected. He would report to the Commissioner, who would then report to the Council.

Workmen’s Hours And Wages.

The Highways Committee considered application from the workmen for an increase of wages and a 48-hour week. It was resolved that the workmen he asked send a deputation to meet the Committee on these matters.

The Chairman reported that they had met this deputation, and the matter was adjourned until the conference of the local Urban District Councils’ Association met at Barnsley, so that it might come before the whole of the Urban District Councils.

A  general district rate of 6s. 10d in the pound was levied

A Question of Representation.

The Darfield Branch of the Comrades of the Great War wrote that their objection to Mr. Illsley as a member of the Garfield War Pensions Committee was because he had not served in the armed Forces and the final selection of the representative should have been deferred until the assembly of the new Council, the composition of which they anticipated.

They pointed out that representation in their case meant a soldier being represented by a soldier, as a trade unionist was represented by a member of the same body.

The Chairman said he was at the meeting when this matter first came up. Apparently the Council were asked to nominate a representative upon the Committee, and, naturally, they did so. Whether the Council could go back on that resolution which they had already passed he was not certain, but should say not. It was absolutely within the jurisdiction of the Council to appoint their representative.

There were no further comments.

 Work In Contemplation.

Mr. C. H. Roberts, an Inspector of the Local Government Board, had written that he wished to confer with the representatives of the Council on May 15th with reference to any works that might be proceeding at the present time, or were in contemplation.

The Clerk (Mr. W. Robinson) said that when he received this letter he wrote to the Inspector asking whether he could not meet the Council that night. It appeared that he was coming over to see the Rural District Council at Barnsley on the same errand, and he (Mr. Robinson) took the opportunity of seeing him after consultation with the chairman of the Works Committee (Mr E Taylor).

He explained to the Inspector for position with regard to the contemplated works in the Darfield district. The only work of which he knew was that in contemplation of the housing scheme. He explained the circumstances of the district, and that, generally, there was no unemployment there, and it would be very difficult to get labour for any works in contemplation, unless it was important. The Inspector expressed himself perfectly satisfied, thought there was no necessity to come down and see the Council.