PENZANCE TOWN COUNCIL PENALVERNE BUILDING ESTATE Tender Accepted for £26,404
The Mayor (Coun. J. W. Meek) presided meeting of Penzance Town Council - Wednesday morning. Those present were Aldermen. R. Hall, G. Poole, W. H. Green, W. G. Goodfellow, R Thomas, Councillors S R. Vere, W. H. Rowe, H. Oaks, Mrs. Shaw, A. E. Trenwith, W. S. Boase. H. Langford, A. Ellis, C. A. Stokes, W. Whitter, W. T. Prowse, P. H. Tarr, S. Slooman, H. D. Moms, and T. MacFadyean, with the town clerk (Mr. E. W. J. Nicholson; assistant town (Mr. J. H. Nicholas), borough accountant (Mr. H. G. Whale), assistant accountant (Mr. J. Thomas), and sanitary inspector (Mr. J. Craven).
PENALVERNE HOUSING ESTATE. TENDER OF £26,404 ACCEPTED. Coun. Trenwith moved the adoption of the following report of the Housing Committee, dated May 5th: Penalverne Tenders. The Chairman opened eight tenders for the erection eighty houses and the works incidental thereto. Two of the tenders were in respect of the incidental works only, and two of the others did not tender for the incidental works. The committee recommend that the tender of Mr. J. H. Lobb, of Mevagissey, Cornwall, being the lowest tender received for the whole of the works, be provisionally accepted, subject to the approval of the Ministry of Health, in the sum of £26,404. The committee have instructed the Borough Surveyor to submit the tenders personally to the appropriate officials at the Ministry of Health and to report thereon prior to the next Council meeting if possible. Speaking on the report. Coun. Trenwith said the committee went through the report very carefully, and they came the unanimous decision to recommend the Council to accept the tender of Mr. Lobb in the sum of £26,404. That was an all inclusive price for roads, sewers and the building of 80 houses. He moved that the word "provisionally" be deleted from the clause, and that the Council accept the tender of Mr. Lobb. The Surveyor had been to the Ministry personally, and the committee had reason to believe that that tender would be accepted by them when formally sent as the one that, had been adopted by the Town Council. Those 80 houses would only cover portion of the estate, and there would remain fair amount of land which would be available for development at future time. They had not worked the estimate out to the last farthing because the cost of the roads. Sewers, etc., should borne also the remaining portion of the estate but they estimated that, taking into consideration the cost of the roads, sewers, etc., the houses could be built for £330 each. That bore a very favourable comparison with what was done at Parc Wartha. When the Council had seen the property laid out, and roads made, he believed they would feel that great advantage had been added to the town. Mr. Lobb had built houses to the utmost satisfaction of the Council recently, and the committee had every reason to believe that these would give equal satisfaction. (Hear, hear). Coun. Langford enquired if the sum of £330 mentioned by Coun. Trenwith eluded the purchase of the estate. The Mayor: No; the houses, roads, sewers and water. Coun. Morris asked if there was any provision the contract as to the percentage of local labour to be employed. The Mayor: Yes. Coun. Trenwich said the Town Clerk had drafted clause in regard to this which the contractor would asked to sign. It laid down that the contractor must as far as humanly possible employ local labour. That was one of the reasons that led the committee to recommend Mr. Lobb as the contractor. Further Mr. Lobb's was the lowest tender. Coun. Rowe said the Council should be made aware of the fact that the committee had had the benefit of the long experience of their surveyor in arriving their decision. Mr. Latham had shown throughout wonderful enthusiasm and splendid knowledge in dealing with every feature in connection with the housing scheme, and he was sure every member of the Housing Committee felt that individually owed Mr. Latham a deep debt of gratitude for the valuable guidance he had given the committee in enabling them to come to their decision. The committee felt that in making their recommendation, they were advising the Council in the best interests of the town. Coun. Slooman said some time back they were assured that 90 per cent, of the labour employed would be local labour. "Let us see it is 90 per cent.," said Coun. Slooman. The Mayor said the rumours which went round the town on the last occasion were only myths, and when they were enquired into it was found there was no foundation for the statements made as to large numbers of men being brought from outside. Coun. Stokes having asked a question as to the appointment of a clerk of the works, Coun. Trenwith replied that the committee had not gone into that matter yet. When the time came the committee would "face up" to the question of the employment of local labour. There was nobody more keen than he was on the employment of local labour, but he realised that when a man took such a contract as that, he had to see to it that he got the men who were suitable for this purpose. He believed they would be well treated as far as local labour was concerned. Coun. Vere asked whether they were going to get on with that scheme a whole, or whether they were going to build as they got closing orders. They were definitely pledged to the Ministry that these houses would for a similar class of tenant to those displaced. Coun. Trenwith said the committee had that matter well in hand. The Sanitary Inspector and the Town Clerk had prepared details and would be ready to as soon as the Council were ready to supply the alternative accommodation. Coun. Snowden said it should be not only provided that the men should be obtained from local Labour Exchange, but that they should be ratepayers of Penzance. The Mayor said it was obvious that no contractor would send out of town for labour if could get in the town. Coun. Slooman was not satisfied that ample provision had been made for the employment of local men, and Coun. Snowden said they must insist on ratepayers in Penzance having the first consideration. The report was then adopted. considering a previous report of the Housing Committee, Coun. Langford asked if it was necessary that the lodge at the entrance of Penalverne drive should be demolished in order to widen the road, it seemed to him that there was plenty of room the other side for the widening of the road. Coun. Trenwith replied that it was highly desirable. It was solely that ground that Coun. Ellis had given it to the town. Alternative accommodation would be found for the tenant. The Town Clerk added the Ministry would insist on it. One clause in this report dealt with the fact that the original agreement with Col. Bolitho it was stated that there should be a Cornish hedge the eastern side of the avenue road. It had now been arranged that there should be a concrete wall, and by this means there would be 18 inches more for the drive and a similar amount of ground for the gardens of the houses.
The Mayor (Coun. J. W. Meek) presided meeting of Penzance Town Council - Wednesday morning. Those present were Aldermen. R. Hall, G. Poole, W. H. Green, W. G. Goodfellow, R Thomas, Councillors S R. Vere, W. H. Rowe, H. Oaks, Mrs. Shaw, A. E. Trenwith, W. S. Boase. H. Langford, A. Ellis, C. A. Stokes, W. Whitter, W. T. Prowse, P. H. Tarr, S. Slooman, H. D. Moms, and T. MacFadyean, with the town clerk (Mr. E. W. J. Nicholson; assistant town (Mr. J. H. Nicholas), borough accountant (Mr. H. G. Whale), assistant accountant (Mr. J. Thomas), and sanitary inspector (Mr. J. Craven).
PENALVERNE HOUSING ESTATE. TENDER OF £26,404 ACCEPTED. Coun. Trenwith moved the adoption of the following report of the Housing Committee, dated May 5th: Penalverne Tenders. The Chairman opened eight tenders for the erection eighty houses and the works incidental thereto. Two of the tenders were in respect of the incidental works only, and two of the others did not tender for the incidental works. The committee recommend that the tender of Mr. J. H. Lobb, of Mevagissey, Cornwall, being the lowest tender received for the whole of the works, be provisionally accepted, subject to the approval of the Ministry of Health, in the sum of £26,404. The committee have instructed the Borough Surveyor to submit the tenders personally to the appropriate officials at the Ministry of Health and to report thereon prior to the next Council meeting if possible. Speaking on the report. Coun. Trenwith said the committee went through the report very carefully, and they came the unanimous decision to recommend the Council to accept the tender of Mr. Lobb in the sum of £26,404. That was an all inclusive price for roads, sewers and the building of 80 houses. He moved that the word "provisionally" be deleted from the clause, and that the Council accept the tender of Mr. Lobb. The Surveyor had been to the Ministry personally, and the committee had reason to believe that that tender would be accepted by them when formally sent as the one that, had been adopted by the Town Council. Those 80 houses would only cover portion of the estate, and there would remain fair amount of land which would be available for development at future time. They had not worked the estimate out to the last farthing because the cost of the roads. Sewers, etc., should borne also the remaining portion of the estate but they estimated that, taking into consideration the cost of the roads, sewers, etc., the houses could be built for £330 each. That bore a very favourable comparison with what was done at Parc Wartha. When the Council had seen the property laid out, and roads made, he believed they would feel that great advantage had been added to the town. Mr. Lobb had built houses to the utmost satisfaction of the Council recently, and the committee had every reason to believe that these would give equal satisfaction. (Hear, hear). Coun. Langford enquired if the sum of £330 mentioned by Coun. Trenwith eluded the purchase of the estate. The Mayor: No; the houses, roads, sewers and water. Coun. Morris asked if there was any provision the contract as to the percentage of local labour to be employed. The Mayor: Yes. Coun. Trenwich said the Town Clerk had drafted clause in regard to this which the contractor would asked to sign. It laid down that the contractor must as far as humanly possible employ local labour. That was one of the reasons that led the committee to recommend Mr. Lobb as the contractor. Further Mr. Lobb's was the lowest tender. Coun. Rowe said the Council should be made aware of the fact that the committee had had the benefit of the long experience of their surveyor in arriving their decision. Mr. Latham had shown throughout wonderful enthusiasm and splendid knowledge in dealing with every feature in connection with the housing scheme, and he was sure every member of the Housing Committee felt that individually owed Mr. Latham a deep debt of gratitude for the valuable guidance he had given the committee in enabling them to come to their decision. The committee felt that in making their recommendation, they were advising the Council in the best interests of the town. Coun. Slooman said some time back they were assured that 90 per cent, of the labour employed would be local labour. "Let us see it is 90 per cent.," said Coun. Slooman. The Mayor said the rumours which went round the town on the last occasion were only myths, and when they were enquired into it was found there was no foundation for the statements made as to large numbers of men being brought from outside. Coun. Stokes having asked a question as to the appointment of a clerk of the works, Coun. Trenwith replied that the committee had not gone into that matter yet. When the time came the committee would "face up" to the question of the employment of local labour. There was nobody more keen than he was on the employment of local labour, but he realised that when a man took such a contract as that, he had to see to it that he got the men who were suitable for this purpose. He believed they would be well treated as far as local labour was concerned. Coun. Vere asked whether they were going to get on with that scheme a whole, or whether they were going to build as they got closing orders. They were definitely pledged to the Ministry that these houses would for a similar class of tenant to those displaced. Coun. Trenwith said the committee had that matter well in hand. The Sanitary Inspector and the Town Clerk had prepared details and would be ready to as soon as the Council were ready to supply the alternative accommodation. Coun. Snowden said it should be not only provided that the men should be obtained from local Labour Exchange, but that they should be ratepayers of Penzance. The Mayor said it was obvious that no contractor would send out of town for labour if could get in the town. Coun. Slooman was not satisfied that ample provision had been made for the employment of local men, and Coun. Snowden said they must insist on ratepayers in Penzance having the first consideration. The report was then adopted. considering a previous report of the Housing Committee, Coun. Langford asked if it was necessary that the lodge at the entrance of Penalverne drive should be demolished in order to widen the road, it seemed to him that there was plenty of room the other side for the widening of the road. Coun. Trenwith replied that it was highly desirable. It was solely that ground that Coun. Ellis had given it to the town. Alternative accommodation would be found for the tenant. The Town Clerk added the Ministry would insist on it. One clause in this report dealt with the fact that the original agreement with Col. Bolitho it was stated that there should be a Cornish hedge the eastern side of the avenue road. It had now been arranged that there should be a concrete wall, and by this means there would be 18 inches more for the drive and a similar amount of ground for the gardens of the houses.
