Witham UDC, Council minutes 1945-1947

Witham UDC Council minutes 1945-1947

No cover. Has page numbers starting at 733 so probably came out of previous volume.

Mostly noted Witham rather than Silver End and Rivenhall. __________________________________

16 April 1945, AGM, page 733 [first item in book]

Councillors Maidment and Cuthbe to continue as Chairman and Vice-Chairman.

Same date, in Committee, page 734

Letter from Miss Lucy Croxall, ‘Area Commandant, Witham and District Girls Training Corps’. The National Association of Training Corps for Girls holding cadet week May 6-12. Hope to have Parade and Drumhead Service on Sunday 6th. Invites Councillors and asks permission to use Recreation Ground. Agreed.

30 April 1945, page 735

Street Lighting. Circular received from Ministry. Asked Council to extinguish street lighting from May 1st for period of double summer time. Agreed

Fireguard services to be wound up.

[page 736] Arrangements to be put in hand.

Town Planning Scheme discussed. Took into consideration report by Surveyor. Also financial aspect to improvements in High Street between Bellamy’s Winches in Newland Street and Glover’s in Collingwood Road [i.e. narrow part between 38 and 64 Newland Street].

Bypass proposed round Witham and Rivenhall End given consideration. Agreed unanimously that it should not be included in the Plan, and that alternative, either by widening High Street and Bridge Street, or otherwise, should be carried out. Felt generally by passes not best means.

Approved proposal for improvement to entrance of Church street at Chipping Hill entrance.

28 May 1945, page 737

Report from Mrs R Pelly about WVS in last 6 years. Long. To be circulated.

Location of Retail Businesses. Mr P A Revett of 12 Guithavon Road applied to begin business as ‘cabinet maker, upholster and house furnisher’. Agree.

Sitting as Town Planning Committee, page 738

Plan 1121 from Messrs Betts and Longhurst of Romford re Moat Farm estate. Letter expected so defer.

P A Revett asked for temporary workshop at rear of 12 Guithavon Road as cabinet maker. Don’t agree.

Accounts as usual

25 June 1945, page 741

WVS report circulated. Letter of appreciation to be sent to Mrs Rosalind Pelly, the centre leader.

G Turner resigned as Sanitary Inspector. Thanks for his work.

Hon Secretary of Welcome Home Fund is arranging events July 7th to the 13th. Asks District Council to arrange concert on 9th. Officers offered to do it.

The week concerned is also local Holidays at Home week, so regard the effort as part of the Council’s arrangement for this, and allocate £25 to the officers for the concert.

[page 742] After reports from Essex meeting etc., Council consider that local co-ordinating Committee should be set up re welfare of ex-service men and women and families and dependants. Consult the voluntary organisations for views, and then have a meeting.

[page 743] Re Public Health Committee. Ministry of Supply will arrange early removal of books that the Council still have, and hope Council will reconsider taking part in the new Drive. Answer that will if can.

Same date, as Town Planning Committee, page 744

Further development of district. Clerk has discussed with County Planning Adviser. It appeared that ‘some major future development of the district might be suggested later’ [no details], what were Council’s views. Agree in principle.

Clerk had heard of a Company in West Ham who anxious to build factory elsewhere in county, he approached them and asked them to consider Witham. Approved.

Chairman and Vice Chairman left meeting ‘on account of otherwise experiencing difficulty in transport to their homes’.

Part exchange offer of new typewriter accepted.

16 July 1945, page 748

Plan 1121 for Moat Farm Estate. Submitted by G A Joslin, architect, of Brentwood, on behalf of Universal Welding and Engineering Company of Harold Wood. Council not satisfied that would be carried out immediately. May have to be taken into account with other major proposals of a major character.

3 July 1945, page 749

Permanent housing proposals. Ministry of Health sent list of architects. Resolved to employ an architect and approach Mr A E Wiseman of Chelmsford. If not, try Mr F W Chancellor of Chelmsford.

Circular received. Additional powers given to Local Authorities re requisitioning unoccupied houses, for ‘housing persons inadequately housed’. Resolved to make register of unoccupied property and present to Council.

30 July 1945, page 750

Re election of member for South Ward on death of Councillor J N Pelly. Four names received. Only Mrs R Pelly got any votes (5). She is of Blunts Hall, Blunts Hall Road. She therefore to be elected.

Same day, in Committee, page 751

Public Hall. Secretary of Witham Congregational Church enquired about quote to use the Hall on Sundays for Religious services between 10 30 a.m. and 12 30 p.m., and 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., from first Sunday in November to last Sunday in March 1946. Information re costs. Resolved that labour would be available, and quote £3 3s inclusive per Sunday.

[pages 751-752] Register of properties to consider for requisition. Resolved to requisition the following subject to approval of Ministry of Health:

1 ‘Barclays Old Bank and premises, Newland Street’. [no. 59 or 61]

2. ‘Medina Villas Newland Street, including the empty shop if that be necessary’.
3. No — Newland Street, being an empty shop with living accommodation.
4. ‘Durwards Hall Lodge, Rivenhall’
5. No 47 Newland Street
6. The Aye-Aye café, Hatfield Road.

Clerk and Surveyor had viewed hutment accommodation ‘at the abandoned Searchlight Station, Wickham Hill’. Seven or eight hutments would, with small alterations, water and cooking facilities, and septic tank, be very good.

[page 752] Mr A E Wiseman, architect, will do new housing in Glebe Crescent.

Temporary Housing. Ministries of Health and Town and Country Planning have given permission for temporary housing at Runnacles Street, Silver End and Church Street, Witham. Resolved that ‘the engineering work involved be carried out by the Surveyor with direct labour, using, if required, German prisoner of war labour’ [note:these were the prefabs].

Planning applications approved, including from Essex County Council for Junior and Infants School at Cressing Road [this is Templars School]

24 September, 1945, page 754

Welcome Mrs R Pelly as Councillor, and Mr E H C Wadhams as Sanitary Inspector.

British Restaurant Committee of 7 September presented. Clerk had letter from three LNER employees asking for deferring. Clerk had written back saying concerned that Committees’ recommendation had become public knowledge before being put to the Council. Report adopted nem con. (Cllr Cuthbe abstained).

[page 755] Housing. Surveyor’s plan for layout at Wickham Hill and conversion approved. Choice of tenants left till known whether Council permitted to take it.

[page 756] Layout etc from Mr Wiseman, architect – comments listed, and disagreements.

29 October 1945

[pages 759-60] Bankside, Highfields Road, demolition and clearance. One tender received for work of demolition. Sent to Regional Home Office for approval [note: probably the bombed house near the railway].

[page 761] Medina Villas. Arrangements made with Mr Burton of Messrs Baker and Burton, architects of Colchester, to prepare specifications.

In connection with Housing Committee’s decision to ‘install Crittall windows in their new permanent houses at Church Street’, ‘resolved they be of Crittall Galvanised Steel’.

Thanks to British Restaurant people.

[page 762] Circular received re fuel economy.

Unsafe state of condemned property at 34 Bridge Street. Owner is H D Brown of 30 Bridge Street. Not possible to contact him but Mrs Brown said he is trying to get a local builder. Mr Brown was told of unsafe state in January 1944. Resolved that he be given 48 hours notice, otherwise Council will ‘exercise their powers under the Clearance Order by demolishing the property and recovering the cost in accordance with the law’.

Same day, in Committee

Plan 1133, from Adams and Mortimer, revised lay out of Cocks Farm Estate. To refer to North Essex Planning Committee.

[page 763] ‘Land at Chipping Hill known as Blade Wenden’s yard’ [note: formerly Smith’s yard, between the Albert and 1 Braintree Road]. Application on behalf of owners and also from Playle of Maldon on own account, for use of certain land for industrial purposes, resolved that proposals should be advertised at expense of applicants.

[note: I stopped making notes at end of this meeting].

Last one in these papers is 19 March 1947.