Parish Meeting Minutes - 2 Feb 1965
Minutes of the Longwick-cum-Ilmer Parish Meeting on 2nd Feb 1965.
GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING HELD IN LONGWICK VILLAGE HALL TUESDAY 2ND FEBRUARY 1965 at 8.0 p.M.
On the above named date before a very large gathering of people from Longwick, Meadle & Owlswick. Mr Daniels the Engineer & Surveyor for Wycombe R.D.C. explained a sewerage scheme which was being presented to the Ministry for approval in a months time. The scheme if passed would provide main drainage for Longwick, Owlswick and Meadle. Ilmer it was said was so remote that it would be uneconomical and would be beyond the limits of a grant. The houses under the Railway bridge at the "Duke of Wellington" were also omitted as it would need another pumping station as the level of the ground fell away. The main plan of the scheme was to have a pumping station at the lower end of Longwick, which would pump the sewage from Owlswick and Longwick. back up to Risborough, and another pumping station on the pond site at Meadle which would join up with the sewer on the Lower Icknield Way. It was hoped to get tenders out for the work in the Summer, and work to begin about September 1965 it will take a year to complete the cost around £100,000. The cost is shared by three bodies firstly by Government Tax-payers, secondly by County Council rate payers and finally by Rural District rate-payers. Unavoidably there would be some mess and inconvenience but the Engineer asked people to bear with it as it was in their own interest in the end. The cost of having the sewer connected to each house is [inserted: approx] 30/- a foot. It was pointed out that it is not compulsory to have the sewer connected but those who didn't would in future have to pay to have their cesspools emptied. The extra on rates would be nothing this year, but possibly £5 increase in the future, but it must be emphasised the Engineer did not wish to be quoted on this, in some cases it may be a lot less he wasn't in a position to say. Mr Daniels also warned people not to attempt to get any contractor to connect their property until it was passed by the council. There was some debate on the pond site at Meadle, one resident asked for the building to be built with old bricks and tiles to suit the quaintness of the village. Mr Daniels readily agreed if it would cut the costs. A piece of ground 27' x 28' would be needed for the actual building which would be 12' square, and as the pond adjoins a Mr Butler's property he requested to buy from the Parish Council what was left of the pond. It was proposed by Cllr. Walker seconded by Cllr. Brock that he should be allowed to do so if there were no objections from people living in Meadle. As most people from Meadle were present a vote was asked for, and a show of hands unanimously gave Mr Butler the right to buy the part of the pond left, providing he pays all legal costs and the District Valuers price. Mr Daniels agreed to meet Mr Butler and arrange the positioning of the building to suit each other. Meeting closed at 9.15 p.m. Dorothy Brock 31/3/65.