General Purposes Sub-Committee: July 14th 1924

With reference to Nos 38 and 40, Spring Hill, the following communication from the General Committee was received:

(June 16th 1924)

On Minute No 1579 the Town Clerk submitted a report as to the completion of the purchase of premises, Nos 38 and 40 Spring Hill and the Chapel at rear.

1774   RESOLVED:- That the report be approved and the General Purposes Sub-Committee instructed to prepare a suitable scheme for the utilisation of the property available for Bank Purposes.

The Sub-Committee were informed that the Chairman of the General Committee and Councillor Stephens, with the General Manager, had inspected the property and were of opinion that a one storey building could be put up with a frontage to Spring Hill. The Chapel building appeared to be in fairly good condition, and it was felt could be utilised in connection with a light trade or for storing purposes, and would command a substantial rental. In this connection, the Sub-Committee were informed that the Chairman of the General Committee had stated that the Baths Committee were reporting to the Council with a view to the general principle being approved of establishing washhouses in various parts of the City. Mr Councillor Appleby thought the building might be suitable for the requirements of the Baths Committee in the event of their approval being adopted, and suggested that the General Manager should communicate with the Baths Superintendent on the matter.

570    RESOLVED:- That the General Manager be instructed to direct Mr McMichael, Architect, to submit a plan showing his proposals for the erection of a one storey bank at Spring Hill; and that the General Manager be also instructed to communicate with the Baths Superintendent with reference to the use of the building at the rear.

Bank Committee: July 25th 1924

1838 With reference to the site at Spring Hill, the General Manager reported that, in accordance with instructions of the General Purposes Sub-Committee, he had visited the site in company with the Superintendent of the Baths Department. The latter had stated that in the event of the proposed scheme for a public wash-house being adopted by the City Council, he would bring the suggestion as to the conversion of the Chapel building for that purpose to the notice of the Baths Committee.

General Purposes Sub-Committee: October 14th 1924

On Minute No 570 (Spring Hill Property), the General Manager reported as follows:

Spring Hill Property.

The Chairman (Councillor Appleby) has approved the plan for the new Bank at Spring Hill, and settled the size of same in company with Councillor Stephens. Tenders will shortly be advertised for. The Public Works Department have agreed to give a certificate for a 15 year building.

The Baths Department were communicated with as to using the chapel, etc, at the rear, but have turned down the suggestion.

The Chapel was advertised by Mr Wilde to be let on lease, and the Ladywood Divisional Labour Party offered to take the same on a lease for 7 years at £140 per annum, plus rates and outgoings, with option to renew for a further 7 years, subject to the property being put in a proper state of repair. This offer the Chairman, after conferring with Alderman Lovsey, and Councillors Gelling and Fryer, decided to accept, and the Town Clerk has been instructed to enter into a lease accordingly. The lease will be taken out in the name of three Trustees, viz: Mr B Denton, Mr A E Edge, and Mr O E Mosley, MP. The draft lease contains a covenant to the effect that if the Corporation require the land upon which the new Bank will be built for street widening purposes, within the period of the lease or any extension of the lease shall be determined. The Trustees, on examining the lease have raised two points, viz: Will any exception be taken to the letting of the premises for entertainments etc? Will permission be granted for putting up a wooden structure on the vacant land at the rear?

589    RESOLVED:- That the General Committee be recommended to confirm the action taken in agreeing to lease to the Ladywood Labour Party on the terms above-mentioned, the disused Chapel at the rear of the Spring Hill property, and to instruct the Town Clerk to affix the Corporate Seal to any necessary document, and subject to the above confirmation, the Town Clerk be instructed to inform the Trustees that no exception will be taken to the letting of the premises for entertainments etc so far as the Bank is concerned, or, subject to the approval of the Public Works Department to the erection of a wooden structure on the vacant land at the rear of the premises.

590    RESOLVED:- That the General Committee be recommended to accept the tender of Messrs Cooke & Tremlett at the sum of £144 for the required repairs to the property in Spring Hill proposed to be leased to the Ladywood Divisional Labour Party, and to direct the Town Clerk to enter into a Contract for the carrying out of the work and to affix the Corporate Seal thereto.

591    RESOLVED:- That the General Manager be directed to advertise for the carrying out of the construction of the Bank premises at Spring Hill.

Bank Committee: October 20th 1924

1871 The following report of the General Purposes Sub-Committee was presented:

Spring Hill Property.

Your Sub-Committee report that the plan for the erection of premises for the use of the Bank on the Spring Hill site has now been approved, and tenders will shortly be advertised for. The Public Works Committee have agreed to give a certificate for a 15 years building.

With regard to the utilization of that portion of the site not at present required for Bank purposes, the Baths Department have intimated that the disused chapel and adjacent land would not be suitable for the purpose of the proposed wash-house, which was a suggestion recently under consideration. Steps were accordingly taken with a view to the letting of the property on lease, and an offer was received from the Ladywood Divisional Labour Party offering to take the property on lease for 7 years at a rental of £140 per annum, plus rates and outgoings, with the option to renew for a further 7 years, subject to the property being put into a proper state of repair. In view of the vacation, the Chairman of your Committee, after consulting several of the members, decided to accept this offer, and the Town Clerk was directed to enter into a lease accordingly.

The Draft Lease contains a covenant to the effect that if the Corporation require the land upon which the new Bank will be built for street widening purposes within the period of the lease, or any extension of the lease, the same shall be determined. Your Sub-Committee have agreed that exception shall not be taken, so far as the Bank is concerned, to the letting of the premises by the Trustees for entertainments etc, and that the Trustees shall be permitted, with the consent of the Public Works Department, to erect a wooden structure on the vacant land at the rear of the building.

Tenders have been obtained for the satisfactory repair of the property proposed to be leased and your Sub-Committee recommend the acceptance of the tender of Messrs Cooke & Tremlett at the sum of £144, and that the Town Clerk be instructed to prepare and affix the Corporate Seal to a contract for the carrying out of the work in view of the fact that the tender referred to is considerably below the amount of the other tenders received.

On consideration of the paragraph in the foregoing report with reference to the leasing of property at Spring Hill to the Ladywood Divisional Labour Party, the Committee were informed that the draft Lease had been returned, the only alteration being the addition of the words "which will not be unreasonably withheld" at the end of the covenant not to assign, underlet or part with the possession of the demised premises or any part thereof without first obtaining the written consent of the Corporation. The Town Clerk was of opinion that these words should not be permitted, but thought that the proposed Lessees would be satisfied with the addition of some such words as "Provided that the Corporation shall not unreasonably withhold their consent to the letting of the said premises to responsible persons on separate occasions for evening entertainments". The question was considered as to whether permission should be granted for the sale of intoxicants in the event of the Lessees wishing to obtain a licence for this purpose. After discussion, it was:

1872   RESOLVED:- That the action taken in agreeing to lease property at rear of Nos 38 and 40 Spring Hill to the Ladywood Divisional Labour Party on the terms and conditions set out in the foregoing report be confirmed, subject to the amendment of the covenant relating to underleasing etc in the manner suggested by the Town Clerk, and that the Town Clerk be authorised to enter into and affix the Corporate Seal to any necessary documents; but that in the event of it being the desire of the Lessees to obtain a licence for the sale of intoxicating liquors, the Town Clerk be instructed to bring the question before the General Purposes Committee with a view to the decision of the City Council being obtained thereon.

1873   RESOLVED:- That the tender of Messrs Cooke and Tremlett at the sum of £144 be accepted for repairs to property at rear of Nos 38 and 40, Spring Hill, and that the Town Clerk be instructed to prepare a contract for the carrying out of the work, affixing the Corporate Seal thereto.

Bank Committee: November 11th 1924

The General Manager reported that he had arranged for the Tenders for the proposed buildings at Spring Hill and Erdington to be received by the 22nd instant.

1906  RESOLVED:- That the meeting of this Committee be held on Monday, November 24th at 11:30am to deal with the above questions and other matters outstanding.

Bank Committee: November 24th 1924

On Minute No 1872 (Lease of property at rear of Nos 38 and 40 Spring Hill), the Town Clerk presented the following report:

14th November 1924

Minute No 1872.

I have to report upon the above Minute that the Lease of the disused Chapel premises at the rear of Nos 38 & 40 Spring Hill, Ladywood by Messrs Denton, Edge & Mosley has been completed, the rent reserved being £140 per annum for the term of seven years from the 29th September last.

The lessees made no objection to a clause being inserted in the lease prohibiting the sale or distribution of intoxicating liquors on the premises.

I accordingly ask that this Minute be discharged.

1912   RESOLVED:- That Minute No 1872 be discharged.

The committee proceeded to consider the following tenders which had been received for the carrying out of the erection of new buildings at Spring Hill:

1918  RESOLVED:- That subject to the confirmation of the City Council, the tender of Messrs W Sapcote & Sons at the sum of £1,389 be accepted for the carrying out of the erection of Bank premises on vacant land adjoining Nos 38 and 40 Spring Hill, and that the Town Clerk be instructed to prepare and affix the Corporate Seal to the necessary contract.

Mr McMichael, Architect, appeared before the Committee and stated that the plans for the proposed building at Spring Hill had been considered by the Public Works Sub-Committee, who required a slight alteration to be made in the building line, which, however, would not affect the tenders received.

Repairs and Alterations at Spring Hill

On the draft of the Contract and General Conditions being sent to Messrs Cooke & Tremlett in accordance with Minute No 590 of the Bank Committee, passed on 14th October, 1924, the firm declined to sign the Contract or proceed with the work, stating that they had quoted Mr Wilde in the belief that the work was an ordinary repair job as no mention was made of a contract or of complying with the Corporation's General Conditions.

The General Manager subsequently got into touch with Messrs W Payne & Son, who quoted the sum of £201/13/6 for doing this work, and on learning that they were prepared to proceed if given instructions, he consulted the Chairman, Councillor Appleby. Upon Councillor Appleby's instructions the General Manager accepted Messrs W Payne & Son's tender on the understanding that the work was started on Thursday and certain portions finished by Christmas. Mr Payne expressed his willingness to sign a contract and to agree to such portions of the General Conditions as were applicable to the job. The Town Clerk was instructed accordingly, and the approval of the Committee to the General Manager's action is now sought.

The form of General Conditions, which is quite satisfactory for large work of structural alterations and adaptations, is hardly suitable for these small repair jobs, and the General Manager suggests that if contracts are to be entered into in the future for repair and decoration work, a modified form of General Conditions should be drawn up.

622     RESOLVED:- That the General Committee be recommended to rescind Minute No 590 and to confirm the action taken in accepting the tender of Messrs W Payne & Son, at the sum of £201. 13, 6. and to authorise the Town Clerk to prepare and seal the necessary contract.

Report of the Bank Committee to the City Council: December 2nd 1924

CONSTRUCTION OF NEW BANK PREMISES AT SPRING HILL.

The Council will recollect that at their meeting on the 8th January, 1924, they approved the purchase by the Bank Committee, in conjunction with the Public Works and Town Planning Committee, of property situate at Nos 38 and 40, Spring Hill, with vacant land adjoining and behind and disused chapel at rear.

Your Committee now propose to proceed with the erection of Bank premises on the vacant land fronting to Spring Hill, the intention being that such premises shall be of a character to meet the needs of the Bank until such time as the Public Works Department are in a position to proceed with their widening scheme for Spring Hill. When this time arrives, it would be necessary for the bank to be set back to the new street line, and your Committee could then utilise the property and land at rear, which is at present let on lease.

Tenders have been received for the erection of suitable Bank premises, and your Committee have provisionally accepted the tender of Messrs W Sapcote and Sons, at the sum of £1,389, for carrying out the work, the sum in question to be defrayed out of the funds of the Bank.

Your Committee now ask the City Council, in accordance with No 10 of the Bank Rules, to approve of their action.

A plan and elevation of the proposed building will be exhibited in the ante-room to the Council Chamber at the meeting.

It was moved by Mr Councillor Appleby, seconded by Mr Councillor Gelling, and

Resolved: 27,036. That the proposal of the Bank Committee to erect Bank premises at Spring Hill, as referred to in their report, be approved; that the Committee be authorised to accept Messrs W Sapcote and Sons' tender at the sum of £1,389 for the erection of such premises, and the Town Clerk instructed to prepare and attach the Corporate Seal to the necessary documents.

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