General Purposes Sub-Committee: April 12th 1926

 

The Sub-Committee were informed that the Estates Committee had submitted a list of available sites for the consideration of the Bank Committee, and Councillors Appleby and Gelling had given careful consideration thereto. The only sites likely to meet the Bank's requirements were on the Witton Lodge Estate, Pype Hayes Estate and Billesley Estate.

 

With reference to the Witton Lodge Estate, a plan was submitted showing the available sites and it was:

 

918    RESOLVED:- That the General Manager be directed to endeavour to secure a suitable site situate in the proposed shopping area on the Witton Lodge Estate.

 

General Purposes Sub-Committee: May 31st 1926

 

953     On Minute No 918 (Witton Lodge Estate) the General Manager stated that the Estates Department had offered to sell 940 square yards of land, which area was, however, considerable in excess of the Bank's requirements, and he had accordingly asked them to submit an offer in respect of a smaller area. The Minute was continued pending a reply being received from the Estates Department.

 

Bank Committee: June 21st 1926

 

The following communication from the Estates Committee with reference to the proposed transfer to the Bank of the freehold of land on the Witton Lodge Farm Estate was received:

 

Estates Committee,

18th May 1926

 

Witton Lodge Farm - Shop Site - Wheeldon.

 

6189. RESOLVED:- That subject to Mr F W Wheeldon agreeing to relinquish his option on the shop site on the Witton Lodge Farm Estate, the freehold of approximately 500 square yards of land be transferred to the Bank Committee at a price of 15/- per square yard.

 

2386  RESOLVED:- That, subject to the Estates Committee being able to arrange for the option of Mr Wheeldon on the shop site above-mentioned on the Witton Lodge Farm Estate to be relinquished, and to the approval of the City Council, the proposal for the transfer of approximately 500 square yards of freehold land to this Committee at a price of 15/- per square yard be approved.

 

General Purposes Sub-Committee: October 11th 1926

 

The Sub-Committee were informed that the Estates Department had now intimated that the area of land on the Witton Lodge Estate transferred to the Bank had been found to be 548 square yards and not approximately 510 square yards as stated in the Estates Committee's report to the City Council.

 

997     RESOLVED:- That reference to the alteration be made in the report to the General Committee.

 

Bank Committee: November 15th 1926

 

On Minute No 2386, the following communication was received from the Estates Committee authorising the transfer to the Bank of an additional 48 square yards of land in Witton Road making the total area of 548 square yards:

 

I beg to forward you copy of Resolution of the ESTATES Committee, passed at a Meeting held on the 12th October 1926:

"RESOLVED:- That an additional 48 square yards of land in Witton Lodge Road be transferred to the Bank Committee at 15/- per yard freehold."

2512   RESOLVED:- That Minute No 2386 be discharged.

 

General Purposes Sub-Committee: October 8th 1928

 

The General Manager submitted the following report with regard to Corporation Housing Estates, particulars of which had been furnished by the City Surveyor:

 

Corporation Housing Estates.

 

The City Surveyor has furnished me with a plan and particulars of estates which the Corporation are about to lay out for house building purposes, with a request that I would inform him of any requirements of the Bank Committee in respect of branch Banks.

 

The estates in question are [extract re Perry Common area]:

 

- Warren Farm and Kings Vale Farm Estates, Perry Barr, on which 5,700 houses are to be erected.

 

With regard to Perry Barr we are of opinion that provision should be made for the Bank on this estate, and it is recommended accordingly.

 

1313  RESOLVED:- That the report be approved, and that the General Manager be instructed to inform the City Surveyor that it is considered desirable that a suitable site should be secured for Bank purposes on the Warren Farm or King's Vale Farm Estates, Perry Barr.

 

The report of the General Manager dealing with land surrounding the temporary buildings utilised by the Bank was submitted:

 

Land surrounding temporary buildings.

 

The enclosed lands surrounding wood buildings erected to serve the purpose of temporary Banks in several parts of the City, have for some time presented an untidy appearance owing to the presence of weeds, etc, and complaints have been made as to their condition.

 

No arrangements existed for keeping the grounds tidy and attending to the shrubs, and with a view to improving the appearance of the grounds, I approached the General Manager of the Estates Department on the matter.

 

Mr Wallace Smith had an inspection made of the particular grounds and gave an estimate of cost for forking out and removing weeds, cultivating and levelling the soil, trimming privet hedges, and keeping the gardens and hedges in a tidy condition for twelve months, as follows:

 

	£. s. d.
Billesley	15.15. -
Brookvale	15.15. -
Perry Common	15.15. -
Pype Hayes	15.15. -
Stechford	15.15. -
Bordesley Green	6. 10. -
Birchfield	6. 10. -
Sparkhill	6. 10. -

 

Mr Smith further stated that the grounds would receive attention once each month.

 

These prices were considered excessive, and Mr Wallace Smith agreed that they appeared unduly high, but explained that considerable labour would be involved in getting rid of the weeds and destroying same, but that after the grounds had been properly cleared it would not be so expensive to keep them tidy.

 

In view of the urgent need for something to be done, instructions were given to the Estates Department to proceed with the work, on the understanding that the question of cost would be settled between the General Manager of the Estates Department and myself when we could have before us particulars of the time spent on the work. At the end of twelve months, Mr Smith will be able to quote a more favourable price for attending to the grounds, which he thought would work out at approximately £7. 10. -d per year for the first five grounds mentioned above, and £1. 10. -d for the last three.

 

I ask for the approval of the Committee to the action taken in having the grounds attended to at once.

 

1315   RESOLVED:- That the General Manager be instructed to communicate with the Secretary of the Parks Department with a view to obtaining a price for attention to the gardens for a period of twelve months.

 

General Purposes Sub-Committee: December 10th 1928

 

On Minute No 1313 (Suggested site on Warren Farm or King's Vale Farm Estates, Perry Barr), the General Manager reported that the Public Works Department proposed to develop this Estate at an early date and wished to know whether the Bank Committee desired to have a site reserved for a Branch Bank.

 

1327  RESOLVED:- That the General Manager be instructed to make arrangements for this Sub-Committee to visit the site on the 12th instant at 10am with a view to considering the matter on the spot.

 

On Minute No 1315 (Upkeep of land adjoining temporary Branch buildings), the General Manager submitted an estimate from the Parks Department for the carrying out of the necessary work in maintaining the plots of land in question in good condition, for the sum of £50 for a period of twelve months.

 

The General Manager also reported that the Estates Department were prepared to carry out the work at the same figure.

 

The Sub-Committee were advised that duties of this description relating to Corporation Lands, appeared to be delegated to the Parks Committee under the Standing Orders, and it was therefore:

 

1328   RESOLVED:- That the General Committee be recommended to authorise arrangements to be made with the Parks Department to undertake the work on the terms above mentioned, the maintenance in question to apply to the grounds at the Billesley, Birchfield, Bordesley Green, Brookvale, Perry Common, Pype Hayes, Sparkhill and Stechford branches.

 

Bank Committee: December 10th 1928