View report page

28
Bridge should the buildings abutting thereon be required to be pulled down so as to
allow a double line of tramway between this Parish and Islington. Also to require
clauses to be inserted in the Bill against the ingress of steam into the sewers, for the
re-housing of persons disturbed, and for the payment of all deficiencies of rates. Also
that the Company shall be prohibited from supplying electricity to any other persons,
and that protective clauses should be inserted in the Bill with regard to the Vestry's
Electric Lighting mains, and their powers as the Local Authority having control of the
highways.
The negotiations in connection with the above clauses have not at the time of
writing been completed.
THE TOWN HALL.
The lettings of the large Hall during the past year have amounted to 139 in
number, and of the Council Chamber 34, or a total of 173 lettings, from which a rental
has boon received of £641 1s. 0d. This compares with 184 lettings last year, from
which £572 2s. 6d. was received, and 130 lettings in the previous year, 1895-6,
producing £555 16s. 8d. The effect of improvements in the Town Hall is distinctly
seen in improved lettings. Thus the lettings in the year preceding the alterations in
staircases, lavatories, &c., in 1893, reached only £398 5s. 2d., whilst in the year
succeeding that improvement, they rose to £467 17s. 5d., being an increase of
£69 12s. 3d. In like manner the re-decoration and cleansing of the Hall in 1895, was
followed by an increase of £87 19s. 3d. in the yearly lettings, and the installation of
the Electric Light was followed by a corresponding increase of £68 18s. 6d. in the
produce of lettings over the previous year, the joint result of all the improvements
being an annual increase of £226 10s. 0d. in the Vestry's income from this source, in
addition to the extra comfort, safety and convenience of the ratepayers and public
attending the Hall.
Owing to the large increase in the Vestry's work and staff of recent years, the
Town Hall Committee have had to consider on several occasions the question of the
insufficiency of the present accommodation of thee Town Hall, and they considered a
scheme put forward by the Chief Sanitary Inspector for the erection of offices for the
Sanitary Department at the back of the east side of the Town Hall. The opportunity,
however, occurred for the acquisition of the fine premises adjoining the Town Hall,
heretofore used as the Fire Brigade Station of the London County Council, which came
into the market owing to the acquisition by the Council of new premises in Tabernacle
Square. The Vestry, therefore,instructed me to negotiate with the London County Council
for the purchase of the old Fire Brigade Station, which was built on the site originally
sold to the Metropolitan Board of Works for the purpose of erecting a station
in the year 1867, for the sum of £1550. The area of land covered by this site is about
4,000 square feet, and a frontage on to Old Street of 42 lineal feet, whilst the building
contains about 80,000 cubic feet, and consists of a ground floor and two upper stories.
The Vestry wore met very fairly by the Corporate Property Committee of the London
County Council having the matter in hand, who had fixed on £4,500 as the minimum