Archived Extracts

THE establishment of a rota for unemployed whereby they will be assured of work in their turn, and a suggestion that a crematorium should be provided for the town, were amongst the numerous subjects discussed at the monthly meeting of the members of the Sutton Urban Council on Monday evening.
  Councillor C. Brown, M.P. (Chairman) presided, and others present were Councillor Rev. L.J. Stamper, Mrs. C. Moore, E.H. Lowe, W. Baugh, J.B. Stuart, J.A. Percival, T.H. Taylor, H.C. Wright, G. Shaw, A. Walton, F.C. Sowter, W. Limb, G.H. Baker, A. Thompson, H. Squire, J. Davies and T. Lawrence.

Mr. Percival called attention to the following minute of the General Purposes Committee:- "A letter was submitted from Mr. J.H. Colton, stating that as he could not find reliable bondsmen as required by the Committee, he was unable to carry out the contract for the erection of a temporary Council Room at Forest Lodge." "What." asked Mr. Percival, "is the next step with regard to this temporary hut?"
  The Chairman said he was much concerned over the matter as it seemed to him it was going to be definitely delayed, whilst the congestion at the offices was getting worse than ever. They typist had been asked to again go in the bathroom to do her work, and eventually had to be accommodated in the Council room
"These premises are intolerable as regard accommodation." added the Chairman.
  The Clerk (Mr. Luther Pepper) said it would be for the General Purposes Committee to consider the next step. He understood the next tender was higher than the one in question....

Mr. Stewart: The public Baths Committee would be glad to let you the room at the Baths on the usual terms. (Laughter).
Mr. Limb said it would only be possible to be housed at the Bath whilst roller skating was on, as when swimming was taking place the floor had to be stored in the room in question.
  Mr. Sowter asked how far centralisation had brought about congestion, and said they still had offices in Huthwaite and the books of the collectors could be taken there. They would thereby save poor people, some over 70 years of age, having to journey to Sutton all the time to pay rates, etc. Four men could work in the Huthwaite offices and that would ease the situation.

The Chairman said with all the diverse views they had heard he did not think they could do anything that evening.
Mr. Percival move that the matter be referred to the Sub-Committee for consideration.
  Mr. Davies: This matter has already been tossed backwards and forwards since the new Council came into being. We have reversed our decision two or three times, and we come to the conclusion this timber building should be built, and I think the Council should settle it and get on with the job. ....
On being put to the meeting, the proposition was carried.
  In moving the minutes of the Markets Committee, Mr. Sowter (chairman), referring to a complaint of persons trading from barrows and drays in the Market Place and adjacent streets, and the decision that in future no barrows be allowed in the Market Place for trading purposes, said he would like people to know the Council had no power with private traders, hawking barrows through the street. It was a matter for the police. If the person concerned were causing obstruction the police would take action. He raised the matter to prevent people writing to the Council on the matter.

Mr. Wright called attention to the decision of the Roads and Buildings Committee, of which he is Chairman, to make application for the installation of traffic lights at New Cross, and said the Committee thought it was a just claim. The Surveyor submitted figures to the Committee, and for the benefit of these who were not at the meeting he thought it would interest them to know what these were.
  In August a census was taken for the Minister of Transport of traffic to or from Mansfield. There was, however, traffic in other directions, and a further census was taken, this revealing 2,739 vehicles passing a day. The previous figures were 5,419, which gave a total of 8,158, in a sixteen hours day, an averse of 509 per hour, or more than eight per minute.
  The census was taken from 6am to 10pm, and as the traffic was comparatively light in the early morning and late at night, it meant that there were probably 12 vehicles a minute passing at some parts of the day, and he thought there was every justification for asking that consideration should be given to the erection of traffic lights. He was sure there was no other place in the county were traffic lights were so badly needed as at New Cross.