Whippingham

Parish Council

Education and Lighting, 21st January 1929

Mr. G. J. Please chairman opened a full parish council meeting at Wootton School, New Road.
The first thing on the agenda was a letter received from Major C.G. Brodie resigning as school manager, stating that he was not satisfied with the way things were managed at the schools and was concerned about the younger teachers and the difficulty in obtaining staff with experience.

Mr Mowbray said that he agreed with the contents of the letter, as it was similar to a concern he raised at a previous meeting, “that education in their schools was not up to the standards of town schools, as a result, village children were at a disadvantage”. A proposal was then put before the meeting, that, “the parish clerk be asked to write to Major Brodie asking him to reconsider his decision to resign as a parish councillor, the proposal was carried unanimously.

A letter was then read out from the County Council in reply to one sent by the parish council, this stated that they were unable to carry out any work at present, either at the Cedars or erect a danger sign at the Palmers cross roads. After discussion, it was agreed that the parish clerk be asked to write to the County Council again asking for a sign to be erected at the Palmers cross road as this was the most dangerous place in the village.

[At that time Brocks Copse Road was the main road to East Cowes and Footways did not exist].

The next item on the agenda was the lighting of Wootton, by the Electric Light and Power Company. Correspondence had been received from the company with a plan showing the proposed area in which lighting would be provided. They would erect lamp standards free of charge subject to the parish council signing a 10 year contact, at about £100 annum. After discussion it was agreed that the decision should be deferred until the annual general meeting and the company informed accordingly.

Accounts amounting to £17.10.2p were approved for payment and the next meeting of the parish council fixed for the 17th March at Wootton School; the question of electric lighting for the village would be discussed.

Special Parish Council Meeting

Street Lighting

12th March 1929

A meeting was held on Tuesday to consider the adoption of the Lighting and Watching Act. The clerk read out two quotations for lighting, one from the Electric Light Co. and the other from Newport Gas Co. and said these were for lighting across the village. One member said that if Wootton people wanted street lighting they should pay for it, it was not fair to ask the whole parish to pay [assume he referred to the Whippingham area]. He thought it wiser to postpone the decision until a decision on the amalgamation of the parishes took place. It was then suggested that instead of adopting the act it would be better to approach the Rural District Council who would be able to get the work done cheaper. Mr.Souter C.C. said he had been paying the lighting rate for a number of years and in his opinion the burden should be shared.

The clerk said a penny on the rates for the parish would bring in £48.4.5, and for Wootton district of 224 houses £16.3.4. The proposal to adopt the Lighting and Watching Act was put to the vote and the motion lost.

Source: Isle of Wight County Press