Accrington on Rails - The Tramways: A Complete History - Robert Kenyon

£62, without any provisions for renewals or any contribution to the rates! Beckett, (Borough Treasurer). Also the Tramways Renewals Fund investments loan of £16,581 to the Education Committee, from the Renewals & Depreciation Fund would be charged at 3½% interest as and from the half-year commencing December 25 th ,1914. The Electrical, Legal & Parliamentary Committee met and resolved that the Tramway Manager could employ females to act as conductors on the tramcars in a case of necessity during the wartime period. It was then resolved that the attendant at the subterranean public lavatories in Dutton Street, should be instructed to allow free use of these facilities and conveniences as and when required by employees of the Tramway Department whilst on duty. It was also resolved the Tramway Manager could make arrangements to move the stopping place on Blackburn Road in Church, one tramway pole closer to Accrington. He was further authorised to amend or suspend any of the tramway services on any section of the tramway between the hours of 10pm and midnight as he thought fit. It was further resolved to authorise the Borough Treasurer to call in during the year any investments that he found to be necessary in providing a working balance for the Tramway Department. Also at a meeting of the Town Hall & Markets Committee it was resolved to instruct the attendant at the Dutton Street lavatories, to allow the employees of the Tramway Department free access to the facilities, but only if they were in uniform. June At a meeting of the Electrical, Legal & Parliamentary Committee a letter was received from the Accrington Branch of the Amalgamated Tramway & Vehicle Workers’ Association, bringing to their notice several ‘alleged grievances and irregularities’ which they believed to exist within the Tramways Department. It was resolved the Chairman, Vice-Chair, Alderman Rawson, the Town Clerk and the Tramway Manager would meet with the Association, with the powers to deal with these matters. July The Electrical, Legal & Parliamentary Committee met, when it was resolved that a Sub-Committee should be formed to deal with the issue of providing ‘suitable uniforms’ for the female tram conductors. It was then resolved that the Borough Surveyor should issue instruction for putting the tramway tracks in a thoroughly good state of repair, and to report as soon as possible on the condition of the points and crossings on the system, with an estimate of the cost of any repairs and replacement of any defective parts. August At a meeting of the Electrical, Legal & Parliamentary Committee another letter was received from the Secretary of the local branch of the Amalgamated Association of Tramway & Vehicle Workers, asking that all men in the Tramways Department could be paid at time-and-a-half for any time worked on Saturdays, over and above their ordinary duty of 9½ hours for motormen, conductors and the normal duty for shedmen. It was resolved that under the present circumstances the Committee could not see their way to agreeing to this request. September The Electrical, Legal & Parliamentary Committee met and considered a ‘general’ application from the employees in the Tramway Department for an increase in wages. It was resolved to recommend to the General Purposes Committee, that the wages of all the employees in this department should be increased by ¼d (one farthing) per hour, commencing during the first full week in October. The Town Clerk reported that in accordance with this Committee’s instructions he, and the Tramway Manager, had examined and revised the existing rules and regulations for drivers and conductors. It was resolved the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Town Clerk and Tramway Manager would settle on these and have them printed and circulated to the staff. A letter was received from Rawtenstall Corporation stating their willingness to continue with the existing agreement on through running for a further period of twelve months. It was resolved the agreement would remain in place. October The Electrical & Tramway Committee compared the first 4½ months of income and expenditure with the same period of the previous year as follows - REPORTS for the FINANCIAL YEAR 1915/16 (On economies in expenditure for the remainder of the Financial Year). With regard to wages, the wages of the staff excluding all managers up to August 19 th 1914 = £3,729 (for 130 employees). The wages of the staff excluding all managers up to August 19 th 1915 = £3,221 (for 116 employees), a reduction of £508. Yours, J.

216