General Purposes Sub-Committee: January 9th 1922

On Minute No 559 (Moseley Road premises, alterations) the Manager reported as follows:

Moseley Road Premises.

The Manager submits the plan prepared by Mr McMichael for dealing with these premises. The proposal is to use a portion of the cellar underneath the shop for the purpose of a mess-room and lavatory accommodation, and a staircase would be arranged by the side of the wall leading from the shop to the basement. The only suggestion the Manager has to make to the plan now submitted is that the tenant's access to the cellar should be bricked up, and that for the purpose of dealing with pipes for gas and so on, which run along the cellars, a doorway should be provided in the new wall of the cellar at the point marked 'A'. Subject to these alterations the Manager would recommend tenders being obtained for this work, and he would submit same to the next meeting of the Committee.

The plan above referred to was submitted by the Manager, and it was:

13        RESOLVED:- That the plan now submitted be approved and that the Manager be instructed to obtain tenders for carrying out the alterations in accordance therewith, and submit same to this Sub-Committee in due course.

General Purposes Sub-Committee: February 13th 1922

On Minute No 13 (Moseley Road alterations) the following tenders for the carrying out of the work were opened and examined:

           Messrs R Fenwick Ltd         £909

           Mr F J Briley                         £952

            Messrs W Sapcote Ltd       £965

            Messrs Baker & Son           £987

39        RESOLVED:- That the General Committee be recommended to accept the tender of Messrs R Fenwick Ltd, at the sum of £909 for the carrying out of the alterations at No 526 Moseley Road, in accordance with the plan and specification submitted; and to instruct the Town Clerk to prepare and affix the Corporate Seal to the necessary Contract.

Bank Committee: February 20th 1922

On Minute No 1003 (146, Mary Street) it was

1063 RESOLVED:- That the Town Clerk be now instructed to take steps to determine the tenancy of these premises as at 29th September next.

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

Alterations 525, Moseley Road.

Your Sub-Committee had hoped to be in a position to submit their final proposals to this Meeting regarding the conversion of the Moseley Road premises to the needs of a permanent Branch. It has been necessary, however, to direct the Architect to make certain amendments in the original scheme and it is intended to submit definite recommendations in the matter at an early Meeting.

1071 RESOLVED:- That the General Purposes Sub-Committee be empowered to accept tenders for the required alterations to premises 526, Moseley Road and 479, Coventry Road, reporting their action in due course to this Committee, and that the Town Clerk be authorised, when suitable tenders have been accepted, to prepare, and if necessary attach the Corporate Seal to the requisite Contracts.

General Purposes Sub-Committee: March 20th 1922

Alterations 526 Moseley Road.

Your Sub-Committee have examined tenders received for the carrying out of the required structural alterations to premises No 526 Moseley Road, which will become the permanent Balsall Heath Branch, and have accepted the tender of Messrs R Fenwick Ltd at the sum of £569. The Committee have already authorised the Town Clerk, on a tender being accepted, to enter into and seal the necessary Contract for the work, and the document is now being prepared.

Bank Committee: April 24th 1922

On Minute No 1071 (Alterations 526 Moseley Road and 479 Coventry Road) the Town Clerk presented the following report:

April 10th 1922

I have prepared and completed the Contract document with Richard Fenwick Limited for alterations to No 526 Moseley Road. The Corporate Common Seal has been affixed to the document which is dated the 6th April instant.

1115 RESOLVED:- That Minute No 1071 be discharged.

Bank Committee: June 19th 1922

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

Furniture and Fittings - Balsall Heath Branch.

Your Sub-Committee report that the tender of Messrs R Fenwick Ltd for the supply of furniture and fittings at the new Balsall Heath Branch (526 Moseley Road) has been accepted at the sum of £155.

They now ask that the action taken in the matter be confirmed.

1167 RESOLVED:- That the action taken in accepting the tender of Messrs R Fenwick, Ltd for the supply of furniture and fittings at No 526 Moseley Road, at the sum of £155 be confirmed.

Bank Committee: March 19th 1923

1373 The following Report of the General Purposes Sub-Committee was submitted:

Etna System of Heating.

Your Sub-Committee report that the adoption of the Etna System of Heating was authorised by your Committee on the 25th September, 1922, and was subsequently installed at the Sparkbrook, Small Heath, Balsall Heath and Erdington Branches. The advantages claimed by the Etna Company for their System were briefly as follows:

(1) That an economy of 40% to 50% in gas consumption would be effected.

(2) That the heating would be more equally distributed over a room than was the case with Radiators.

(3) That the cost of installation was small.

(4) That no fumes would arise from the pipes as these would be carried outside.

The General Manager reported on the 20th November that the installations at the Branches had not given the results claimed, either in respect of warmth, economy or the elimination of the fumes. Experiments had been carried out by the Etna Company with a view to improving the System, involving however, the putting in of additional sections which gave an unsightly appearance to the Branches, and necessitated an increased consumption of gas. These alterations to the original installation involved the Company in additional expenditure, and accounts in respect thereof were received.

Under the circumstances your Sub-Committee decided not to install the Etna System at other Branches, but to adopt the Gas Circulatory Heating System, which has proved very satisfactory. Further experiments were carried out by the Etna Company at the four Branches where their System was installed, but without satisfactory results, condensation troubles and the unsightly appearance of the System.

Your Sub-Committee, after careful consideration, decided that the Gas Circulatory Heating System should be substituted for the Etna System at Sparkbrook, Small Heath, Balsall Heath and Erdington Branches. They directed that the Etna Company be informed that in consideration of their waiving all claims in respect of unsettled accounts for work carried out in installing their Patent Hot Air System at these Branches, the Sub-Committee were agreeable that they should be allowed to install there Gas Circulatory System, on the understanding that the work is carried out to the satisfaction of the Gas Department, and that the cost did not exceed relatively the Tenders of the Gas Department already accepted for similar work.

Your Sub-Committee now ask that their action in the matter be confirmed.

1374 RESOLVED:- That the action of the General Purposes Sub-Committee in arranging for the substitution of the Gas Circulatory Heating System for the Etna Patent Hot Air System at the Sparkbrook, Small Heath, Balsall Heath and Erdington Branches as indicated in the foregoing report be confirmed.

Bank Committee: April 16th 1923

Report of the General Purposes Sub-Committee:

Heating of Branches.

With reference to the instruction given by your Committee for the substitution of the Circulatory Heating System for the Etna Patent Hot Air System at the Sparkbrook, Small Heath, Balsall Heath and Erdington Branches, your Sub-Committee have accepted the estimate of the Etna Lighting and Heating Co, amounting to £80. 8. 6. for the installation of the Hot Water Heating System at the Balsall Heath Branch. The estimate and plan of the work to be carried out have been examined by the Gas Department, who consider the same reasonable.

Your Sub-Committee have therefore authorised that the work should be proceeded with.

1401 RESOLVED:- That the Report of the General Purposes Sub-Committee be approved.

Bank Committee: November 28th 1923

The General Manager presented the following report as to premises No 528, Moseley Road, adjoining the Balsall Heath Branch Premises:

528 Moseley Road.

The General Manager has approached Messrs E C Bates and Son, with a view to finding out whether it would be possible to purchase these premises which adjoin our present Balsall Heath Branch.

Messrs Bates and Son are prepared to sell, and in fact they has placed same on sale to another party. The purchase price is £1200 freehold, and the premises are similar to our present Branch.

An application through the House Purchase Department has already been made for a Lease in respect of this property, but Mr Bates is of the opinion that the parties concerned cannot raise the necessary money and he is not prepared to run a Lease. The present tenants who are leaving the district have a yearly tenancy of £63 per annum plus rates.

Having regard to the development of the Balsall Heath Branch and the manner in which it has progressed since removing from Mary Street, the General Manager is of opinion that the Committee should not miss this opportunity of obtaining the premises.

At present there are party rights to the entry and joint usage of other portions, and it would be an advantage to the Bank to obtain the premises.

The existing premises form a narrow Branch, have very limited counter space, and further provision for counter space cannot be obtained except by placing the counter lengthways in the room, which would have the drawbacks necessitated at Aston and Stirchley Branches where we have been compelled to adopt this method of working and where it is necessary to introduce artificial light during the day.

If this property is secured the Committee could when the time is ripe suitably extend the Branch.

1580 RESOLVED:- That the foregoing report of the General Manager be approved, and that he be authorised to acquire if possible the freehold property referred to (No 528, Moseley Road) at the sum of £1,200, and that the Town Clerk be instructed to complete the purchase, subject to the approval of the City Council, and to prepare and affix the Corporate Seal to any necessary documents in the matter.

Bank Committee: December 17th 1923

On Minute No 1580 (528 Moseley Road) the General Manager reported that the offer to sell this property to the Bank had now been withdrawn, and that the same had been disposed of to another purchaser.

1591 RESOLVED: That Minute No 1580 be discharged.