HIGHWAYS AND CLEANSING 498 HIGHWAYS AND CLEANSING COMMITTEE: 12th September, 1956. Present: The Deputy Mayor (Alderman Grainger); Councillor Mote (in the Chair); Aldermen Cowen, O.B.E., J.P., and Gange, J.P.; Councillors Atherton, Griffin, Gush, Low, Macaulay, O'Loughlin, C.C., Shapland, Spurway and Wood, M.B.E. PART I.—RECOMMENDATIONS. RECOMMENDATION I: Proposed Provision of Public Convenience at Kenton Lane, near Belmont Circle: Appropriation of Part of Housing Land. The Housing Committee have agreed to make available to your Committee, at the District Valuer's valuation, a piece of housing land situate at Kenton Lane, near to Belmont Circle, for the purpose of the erection thereon by your Committee of a public convenience. The formal report of the District Valuer has now been received, in which he expresses the opinion that the value of the land for appropriation is £600, upon the basis laid down in Ministry of Housing and Local Government circular 34/55. Your Committee accordingly submit the following recommendation for the formal appropriation of the land for public convenience purposes. The necessary adjustment in the accounts of the Council is, of course, subject to the approval of the Minister. Resolved to RECOMMEND: (1) That, subject to the approval of the Minister of Housing and Local Government, pursuant to section 163 of the Local Government Act, 1933, the Council do hereby agree to the appropriation (at the District Valuer's valuation of £600) for public convenience purposes of 0.05 or thereabouts of an acre of land (forming part of a larger area of land acquired by the Council for housing purposes), situated on the north-east side of Kenton Lane, approximately 60 yards from Belmont Circle, as shown on the plan now submitted, signed by the Borough Engineer and dated 12th September, 1956; and (2) that the Town Clerk be hereby instructed to make application to the Minister for his approval accordingly. RECOMMENDATION II: Yeading Brook and Its Tributaries: Improvement Works to Roxbourne Stream at Rear of Leamington Crescent, South Harrow. As the Council are aware, your Committee have approved the principle, subject to the appropriate recommendation to the Council, that the Corpora­ tion should contribute one-half of the cost (estimated at £12,500 in March, 1955) of improvement works to the Roxbourne stream at the rear of Leamington Crescent, South Harrow, in respect of which a scheme has been prepared by the County Engineer. This decision was communicated to the Middlesex County Council, and the County Clerk has now intimated that no action can be taken to obtain the County Council's approval to this improvement until the Borough Council's formal decision is received. In view of the restriction on capital expenditure, it is not known yet when the work might proceed, but your Committee recommend that, in the mean­ time, the desired resolution be passed by the Council. Your Committee have also so phrased the recommendation to cover the eventuality that, in view of the cost involved, it may be possible to execute the scheme by stages, involving expenditure of smaller sums over a period. It is understood that the scheme is so designed that it can, economically, be carried out by stages. 499 HIGHWAYS AND CLEANSING Your Committee also report that it became necessary that certain remedial works connected with the roadway adjacent to the Roxbourne stream should be executed immediately in the interests of public safety, and the Borough Engineer was authorised to arrange (in consultation with the County Engineer) for the works to be carried out. These works, which consisted of packing the hollow places under the concrete roadway and constructing a concrete block retaining wall where the banks had become dangerously eroded, have now been completed by the County Council at a cost of £1,263 5s. 5d., the Corpora­ tion's share being £631 12s. 8d. No provision for this expenditure has been made in current estimates, and the method of meeting such expenditure is a matter for the Finance Committee. Your Committee accordingly submit the following recommendation. Resolved to RECOMMEND: (1) That the Council hereby (a) agree to contribute one-half of the cost (estimated at £12,500 in March, 1955) of improvement works, to be carried out by the Middlesex County Council, to the Roxbourne stream at the rear of Leamington Crescent, South Harrow; and further agree that, if necessary and desirable, such improvement works be carried out by stages over a period, instead of in one single operation; and (b) approve the expenditure of £631 12s. 8d. (being the Corporation's proportion of one-half of the total cost of £1,263 5s. 5d.) incurred by the County Council in connection with the execution of remedial works to the roadway adjacent to the Roxbourne Stream, and agree that this sum be reimbursed to the County Council accordingly; all as detailed in the report of the Highways and Cleansing Committee of 12th September, 1956; and (2) that the Town Clerk be hereby instructed to take all necessary action to give effect to the terms of this resolution, including the preparation and sealing of any necessary documents in the matter. (Note: The Finance Committee recommend that the expenditure to be borne by the Corporation be met by loan.) RECOMMENDATION III: Proposed Public Convenience at Woodridings Close, Hatch End. On the instructions of your Committee, the Borough Engineer has been negotiating with the County Valuer for the acquisition of a piece of land at the side of the temporary library building in Woodridings Close, Hatch End, for the purpose of the erection thereon of a public convenience, and your Com­ mittee are now informed that the County Valuer is prepared to recommend his Council to lease the site in question to the Corporation for a period of ninety-nine years upon the following terms:— (1) The ground rent to be £20 per annum. (2) The Corporation to be granted a drainage easement to connect to the County Council's manhole, marked "A" on the plan submitted to your Com­ mittee. The Corporation to make good the land after laying the drain and to reinstate if required at the end of the lease. (3) The maintenance and repair of the drain from manhole "A" to the public sewer in Uxbridge Road to be carried out by the Borough Council, and the cost apportioned as agreed at the time by representatives of the two Councils. (4) In the event of the County Council wishing to develop or dispose of the land traversed by the Borough Council's drain, the Borough Council to divert the drain and meet the cost. HIGHWAYS AND CLEANSING 500 (5) The Borough Council to be responsible for fencing the land comprised in the lease and to erect a 5 ft. 6 in. closeboarded fence between "X" and "Y," as shown on the plan. (6) The Borough Council to be responsible for demolishing the barn now covering part of the site. (7) The proposal to be subject to the receipt of all necessary consents. Subject to the County Council adopting the recommendations of the County Valuer, your Committee recommend that the land in question be leased from the Middlesex County Council upon the terms and conditions mentioned above. Resolved to RECOMMEND: That the Council hereby agree to lease from the Middlesex County Council, for a period of ninety-nine years, all that piece of land (comprising 185 square yards or thereabouts, and shown coloured pink on the plan now submitted, signed by the Borough Engineer and dated 12th September, 1956) at Wood- ridings Close, Hatch End, immediately to the north of the temporary library building, upon the terms and conditions detailed in the report of the Highways and Cleansing Committee of 12th September, 1956; and that the Town Clerk be hereby instructed to prepare and seal a lease accordingly. RECOMMENDATION IV: Improved Street Lighting Programme for 1956/57. By resolution 695 (20th January, 1956), the Council (a) agreed that the streets detailed in the report of your Committee of 14th December, 1955, be included in the improved street lighting programme for 1956/57; (b) instructed the Borough Engineer to take all necessary action in connection with the preparatory work relating to such programme; and (c) instructed that a further report in this matter be submitted to the Council, in due course. Your Committee have now considered the carrying out of the above pro­ gramme, involving an estimated capital cost of £26,350, and an estimated annual running cost of £3,656 4s. 6d., and recommend that, as was done in regard to earlier programmes, separate tenders should be invited for (a) the electrical equipment required, including the wiring and fitting of lanterns, (b) the provision of reinforced and pre-stressed concrete columns, and (c) the erection of the columns. The number of specialist firms manufacturing reinforced and pre-stressed concrete columns, and undertaking their erection, is limited, and your Committee have therefore approved a list of five firms from whom tenders should be invited for the provision of reinforced and pre-stressed concrete columns, and a list of six firms from whom tenders should be invited for the rection of the columns—this separate tendering not to invalidate con­ sideration of the combination of any two tenders, should an advantage thus accrue to the Council. The programme as previously approved by your Committee provided for 60-watt sodium lanterns in the shopping area in Village Way East, but it has been suggested, and your Committee are in agreement therewith, that 3/80-watt fluorescent lighting should be installed in this shopping area, and your Com­ mittee recommend accordingly.