Ongoing research; last updated 10 February 2014
6th January 1947 – BCC Parks
Committee Minute
Alderman
Alldridge submitted the following report of the Sites and Buildings
Sub-Committee:-
A.R.P. Buildings in Various Parks
With reference to my report to this Sub-Committee on 21st
October last, further claims for surface restoration of shelter sites have been
forwarded to the Public Works Department for submission to the Home Office, as
follows:-
Selly Oak Park, Harborne Lane (T.20) £52. 18s. 6d.
As claims are prepared in respect of other parks and recreation grounds,
details will be submitted to the Sub-Committee.
The Committee’s approval is desired.
A.R.P.
Buildings in Various Parks
6725 Resolved:-
That the action of the General Manager in regard to claims for surface
restorations of shelter sites, more particularly detailed in the foregoing
report, be approved.
3rd February 1947 – BCC Parks
Committee Minute
The
Chairman presented the following notes of a conference between representatives of the
Parks and Civil Defence Committees in relation to the proposed transfer of the
catering rights in respect of the refreshment rooms in parks and recreation
grounds and also in regard to the continued existence of air raid precautions
premises in parks:-
Notes of a Conference between Representatives
of the Parks and Civil Defence Committees regarding Refreshment Tenancies in Parks
and Recreation Grounds and Civil Defence Premises in Parks held at the Council
House on Thursday 23rd January, 1947
…………………………….
Civil Defence premises in Parks and Recreation
Grounds
With regard to the continued existence, and in some cases occupation, of
Civil Defence premises in Parks and Recreation Grounds Members were acquainted
with the present position which is summarised below:-
(a) ……………..
(b) The Civil Defence Committee
desire to remain in occupation of, and to retain their buildings in Selly Oak
Park and Handsworth Park.
(c) ………………
The conference was informed by the Civil Defence Officer that it would
be possible to vacate the premises in Handsworth Park in the near future, but
that it was desired to remain in occupation of the accommodation in Selly Oak
Park for about five years in view of the fact that the Home Office has asked
Local Authorities to allow the continued existence of Civil Defence Clubs, and
it was for this purpose the premises in the park were being used. At the end of the five year period referred
to, it was anticipated that Municipal Restaurant accommodation would be
available as an alternative to the present arrangement.
Alderman Mrs. Hyde stated that whilst the position of the Civil Defence
Committee in relation hereto was appreciated the Parks Committee were anxious
to ensure that, in furtherance of their present policy, Parks and Recreation
Grounds should revert to their proper use for the enjoyment of the General
Public as soon as practicable.
Conclusions
(1)
…………..
(2)
That
the Parks Committee be requested to reconsider the question regarding the
continued occupation of premises in Selly Oak Park by the Civil Defence
Committee in the light of additional information now supplied.
Refreshment
tenancies in Parks and Recreation Grounds and
Civil
Defence premises in Parks
6771 Resolved:- That the Civil Defence Committee be authorised to retain the use of the premises in Selly Oak Park, for a period not exceeding 5 years, upon the understanding that they immediately proceed to take such steps as may be necessary to improve the general appearance and state of repair of the premises in question, to the satisfaction of this Committee.
6771 Resolved:- That the Civil Defence Committee be authorised to retain the use of the premises in Selly Oak Park, for a period not exceeding 5 years, upon the understanding that they immediately proceed to take such steps as may be necessary to improve the general appearance and state of repair of the premises in question, to the satisfaction of this Committee.
The
following report of the General Purposes and Finance Sub-Committee was
submitted:-
Resignations
Name and Age: Kirk,
A. (14)
Park: Selly
Oak
Nature of Employment: Garden
Boy
Date: 4.1.
47
Temporary Manual Employees
In accordance with Council Minute No. 38017 of the 3rd
December, 1946, I now submit particulars of temporary Manual employees
recommended to be placed on the permanent staff. (The recommendations referring to Parks
Police are subject in each case to their passing a medical examination).
Name and Age Designation Where employed Date of entering
Service
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Styles, J.G. (51) Pks.
Police Selly Oak 24.7.44
Temporary
Manual Employees – Transfer to Permanent Staff
6808 Resolved:-
That authority be given for the transfer to the permanent staff of the
temporary manual employees detailed in the foregoing report, as from 3rd
February, 1947.
3rd
February 1947 – Parks Department (Operations Card 26 D1)
By Minute No. 6771 on 3rd
February, 1947 the Civil Defence Committee was authorized to retain the use of
the refreshment room premises for the purposes of the Civil Defence Club, for a
further period not exceeding 5 years, upon the understanding that they
immediately proceed to improve the general appearance and state of repair of
the premises.
3rd March 1947 – BCC Parks Committee
Minute
The
following report of the General Purposes and Finance Sub-Committee was
submitted:-
Staff:
(b) Manual Employees – Regrading
In accordance with the terms and conditions of service of Parks and
Garden employees recommended for adoption by the W.M.J.I.C. the following
Manual employees have completed the stipulated term of service in their present
grade, and have given satisfaction in their work. It is recommended that these employees be
regraded to a higher grade, as set out below, with effect from the date of this
meeting.
Name and Age: Gilks,
L. (40)
Where employed: Selly
Oak
Date of entering service: 31.10.38
Present classification: Garden
Labr. (b)
Recommended grade: Gardener
(S.s.)
The Committee’s approval is desired.
Staff:
(b) Manual Employees – Improved
Service Pay
I beg to submit a list of applications received and recommended for the
Committee’s approval, the payments to take effect as from the dates stated:-
Name and Age: Abbey,
W. (47)
Where employed: Selly
Oak Park
Designated post: Trained
Gdr. (b)
Date of entering service: 1.4.25
Grant recommended: 2/-
Date: 27.1.47
Manual
Employees – Regrading
6883 Resolved:-
That the proposals more particularly set out in the foregoing report for
the regrading of manual employees with effect from the 10th
February, 1947, be approved.
Manual
Employees – Improved Service Pay
6886 Resolved:-
That authority be given for the payment of Improved Service Pay to the
employees mentioned in the foregoing report at the rates and from the dates stated
therein.
Mr.
Alderman Alldridge presented the following report of the Sites and Buildings
Sub-Committee:-
Accommodation for Employees
By Minute No. 6762 of your Committee, I was instructed to submit to you
a report upon the state of repair and decoration of the various properties
under your control which are used for the purpose of accommodating your
Committee’s employees.
An inspection has been carried out and a schedule compiled from the
inspection reports received is attached.
The actual reports will be available at your meeting, should you require
more detailed information in respect of any particular property.
Report No.: 47
Description of Property: Selly
Oak Park, Harborne Lane Lodge.
Decoration – Exterior: Poor.
Decoration – Interior: Fair
except for living room.
Structure – Exterior: Attention to stone and brickwork
necessary. Window frames need refitting.
Structure – Interior: Fair.
Report No.: 48
Description of Property: Selly
Oak Park, Lodge.
Decoration – Exterior: Fair.
Decoration – Interior: Generally
fair.
Structure – Exterior: Brickwork and window frame repairs.
Structure – Interior: Fair.
Accommodation
for Employees
6898 Resolved:-
That the principle of rendering the properties set out in the foregoing
schedule “wind and water tight” and of carrying out necessary decorations be
approved, and that the matters in connection with the implementation thereof be
referred to the Chairman of the General Committee and the Chairman of the Sites
and Buildings Sub-Committee and the General Manager, with the power to act.
31st March 1947 – BCC Parks
Committee Minute
Civil
Defence Premises in Parks
6942 A resolution of the Civil Defence Committee
was received:-
Civil Defence Premises in Parks
A resolution of the Parks Committee was received.
5506 Resolved:- That the foregoing resolution of the Parks
Committee be received and entered on the Minutes, and the Civil Defence Officer
authorised to take such action, with the co-operation of the Parks Committee,
as may be possible, to improve the general appearance and state of repair of
the Civil Defence premises in Selly Oak Park.
The
following report of the General Purposes and Finance Sub-Committee was
submitted:-
Parks and Recreation Grounds – Remuneration of
Officers-in-Charge and Foremen
In my report submitted to you on the 13th January last, I
stated that, as a result of the 6/- per week general increment to the basic
wage of the Manual Gardening Staff of your Department, I should be glad to have
the opportunity of submitting a detailed report upon the position of
Officers-in-Charge and Foremen.
The present wage of a Trained Gardener (c) is assessed at a rate of 30%
above the current basic J.I.C. wage.
Including all increments to date, the basic wage is £3-6-0 (excluding
War Bonus). With his 30% over and above
this, the Trained Gardener (c) is, therefore, now paid £4-5-10. plus a War
Bonus of £1-10-0. making a total of £5-15-10.
It will, therefore, be seen that for the additional responsibility involved
in the nature of the duties, the lowest rate for a Park Foreman should be
somewhat in excess of this.
I have given detailed consideration to the matter, and am of the opinion
that an equitable standard of remuneration for the Foremen and
Officers-in-Charge of parks and recreation grounds may best be arrived at and
maintained by a general grading of parks and recreation grounds into various
classifications of importance. You will
appreciate that this is not an easy task, as though some measure of the degree
of importance of a particular park may be assessed by virtue of the number of
men employed there, other considerations such as acreage, horticultural
importance, sporting amenities, etc., must be taken into account. In view of this, I feel that it is desirable,
even within a particular classification, to allow certain latitude in the scale
of Officers-in-Charge and Foremen.
A scheme involving six grades of parks and recreation grounds has been
prepared for your approval. The Grade 1
Parks are all in the charge of Non-Manual Superintendents. The following three grades apply to parks and
recreation grounds in the charge of Manual Park-keepers. The fifth and sixth grades apply to
recreation grounds only, Grade 5 recreation grounds being those which provide
certain horticultural amenities and Grade 6 being those which may be staffed by
personnel having no gardening knowledge whatsoever. The Grading Scheme recommended for your
approval is attached hereto.
The wage grading now recommended for the Manual Officers-in-Charge and
Foremen of the parks and recreation grounds is as follows:-
Grade Officers-in-Charge Foremen
(Non-Manual)
1 - £6-2-6.
to £6-5-0.
2 £7-0-0. to £8-0-0. £6-0-0. to
£6-2-6.
3 £6-0-0. to £7-0-0. £5-17-6. to
£6-0-0.
4 £-10-0 to £6-0-0. -
5 Grade of employee
required for -
Duties (i.e.
Gardener (S.s.),
Trained Gardener (a) or (b) or
Garden Labourer) plus 5/- per
week as Officer-in-Charge.
6 Garden Labourer (a)
or (b), plus -
3/- per week as
Officer-in-Charge.
…………………..
The Committee’s instructions are desired upon the implementation of the
Grading Scheme, and if approved, authority is asked to put into effect the
various increments recommended, with effect from the 10th January.
GRADE 3
(Park-keepers £6. 0. 0d. - £7. 0.
0d.)
(Foremen £5. 17. 6d. - £6. 0. 0d.)
Park Foreman Present wages Wages Recommended Increment
Selly Oak Tarr,
A.R.. £6. 0. 0d. £6. 0. 0d. No change
Park-keeper plus emoluments plus emoluments
(19/3d).
£6. 19. 3d.
Selly Oak Charlton,
L. £5. 13. 3d. £5. 17. 6d. 4/3d.
Foreman
Parks
and Recreation Grounds – Remuneration of Officers-in-Charge and Foremen
6956 Resolved:-
That the Grading Scheme for Parks and Recreation Grounds and the wage
scales (inclusive of War Bonus) of Officers-in-Charge and Foremen applicable to
the various grades mentioned, together with the whole of the further proposals
set out in the appropriate portion of the foregoing report, be approved for
implementation as from 10th January 1947; and further, that
authority be given for the payment of the revised rates of pay contingent
hereon to the employees mentioned in the schedule now submitted as from that
date, also …………….
5th May 1947 – BCC Parks Committee
Minute
Alderman
Denton submitted the following report of the General Purposes and Finance
Sub-Committee:-
Gale Damage
For the information of the Committee, a schedule is attached giving
particulars of the damage caused by the gale on Sunday, 16th March,
1947, in the parks, recreation grounds and cemeteries under your Committee’s
control. The work of restoration is
being put in hand as rapidly as circumstances permit.
Selly Oak Park: Two trees blown down.
Six
panels of fencing.
9th June 1947 – BCC Parks Committee
Minute
Alderman
Denton submitted the following report of the General Purposes and Finance
Sub-Committee:-
Appointments
The following appointments have been made in order to fill vacancies:-
Name and Age: Hunt,
W. (28)
Park: Selly Oak
Nature of employment: Garden Labr. (a)
Commencing date: 5.5.47
Wages: £4. 16. 0.
The Committee’s confirmation is desired.
Appointments
7138 Resolved:-
That
the appointments set out in the foregoing report to fill existing vacancies, be
approved.
28th July 1947 – BCC Parks Committee
Minute
The General
Manager submitted the following report:-
Staff – Appointments of Park-keepers at
Bournville, Brookvale and Selly Oak Parks and Witton Lakes
………….
A.R. Tarr (the Park-keeper at Selly Oak Park) retired on superannuation
last year, but carried on in a temporary capacity. He has been absent from work for several
months owing to illness and he is unlikely to be fit for duty for a
considerable time.
Accordingly it is asked that authority be granted for the services of …..
and Tarr to be terminated, for the vacant posts to be circularised to all
employees of the department, and for the Chairman and the Chairman of the
General Purposes and Finance Sub-Committee to make the necessary appointments.
Temporary Manual Employees – Appointment to the
Permanent Staff
Under the provisions of the National Insurance (Modification of Local
Government Superannuation Schemes) Regulations 1947, the existing Modified
Scheme ceases to be operative on the 1st September 1947 and all
persons becoming contributory employees on or after that date and not later
than 5th July 1948, will in the first instance be subject to the
full Superannuation Scheme. They will of
course, have an option of transferring to the New Modified Scheme, but they
will not have the opportunity of becoming subject to the existing Modified
Scheme.
In order to give as many employees as possible, who would normally be
subject to the existing Modified Scheme, an opportunity of electing to remain
subject to that Scheme, the Finance Committee consider that all Departments
should immediately review the whole of their employees who are not at present
in the Scheme with a view to the inclusion therein of all the suitable
employees.
The undermentioned employees will have completed three months’
probationary service by the 1st September next. Their services have been satisfactory and I
therefore recommend that they be appointed to the Permanent Staff (subject in
the case of the Parks Police to their passing a medical examination) with effect
from Monday, 25th August 1947.
Name & Age: Hunt,
W. (29)
Designation: Garden
Labr (a)
Where employed: Selly
Oak Park
Date of entering service: 5.5.47
Appointments
of Park-keepers at Bournville, Brookvale and Selly Oak Parks and Witton Lakes
7380 Resolved:-
That for the reasons set out in the foregoing report authority be given
for the services of ….. and Mr. A.R. Tarr to be terminated, that the vacant
posts be circularized to all employees of the department, and that the Chairman
and the Chairman of the General Purposes and Finance Sub-Committee be
authorised to make the necessary appointments.
Temporary
Manual Employees – Appointment to the Permanent Staff
7382 Resolved:-
That the temporary manual employees, more particularly detailed in the
foregoing report, be appointed to the Permanent Staff of the Parks Department
with effect from Monday, 25th August 1947, subject in the case of
the Parks Police to their passing the usual medical examination.
27th October 1947 – BCC Parks
Committee Minute
Alderman
Denton submitted the following report of the General Purposes and Finance
Sub-Committee:-
Appointments of Park-keepers at Bournville,
Selly Oak and Brookvale Parks, Witton Lakes, Wheeldon Recreation Ground and
Lyndon Playing Fields
By your Minute No. 7380, authority was granted for the Chairman of the
Parks Committee, your Chairman and myself to interview selected applicants for
the abovementioned positions which recently became vacant. These applicants were interviewed by the
Chairman of the Parks Committee and myself, and the Chairman has authorised the
following appointments, to take effect from today, the 13th October,
1947.
…………..
A.J. Markham (40) Gardener Foreman at Lodge Hill Cemetery to be Park
Keeper at Selly Oak Park, and his wages increased from £5. 17. 6. per week to
£6. 19. 3. per week, plus 3/- per week Improved Service Pay.
……………..
The Committee’s confirmation of these appointments is desired.
Appointment
of Park-keeper – Selly Oak Park
7459 Resolved:-
That the action of the Chairman in authorising the appointment of A.J.
Markham, Gardener Foreman at Lodge Hill Cemetery to be Park Keeper at Selly Oak
Park, be confirmed and further that his wages be increased from £5. 17. 6., per
week to £6. 19. 3., per week plus 3/- per week Improved Service Pay with effect
from the 13th October, 1947.
