Auditor besieged at Conisborough

Workers Press no. 976, 20 January 1973 · scan page 14

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ANGRY TENANTS besieged the district auditor when he visited Conisborough, Yorkshire, yesterday to find out who was responsible for the non-implementation of the 'fair rents' Act.

Over 100 packed the tiny council offices in this small town near Doncaster and shouted "Tories Out!' and 'Hands Off Conisborough!' Many posters and placards were brought into the room.

Repeated requests to keep quiet were ignored during the 90-minute hearing. Television cameras were thrown out by the auditor.

Conisborough Labour council refuses to put up the rents of its 1,600 tenants. £14,000 is estimated to be missing from the housing revenue account. Nine of the councillors were asked to explain why the loss had been incurred and to answer charges of negligence and misconduct.

Their solicitor, Mr Barrington CORRESPONDENT Black, told the auditor: 'We are not preventing or hindering the government in doing its dirty work. But this council is not going to do the dirty work for them' His request for a month's adjournment 'in the light of what happened at Clay Cross' was turned down and the auditor said another hearing would take place in two weeks.

Terry, Wilde, acting secretary of the local Rossington tenants' association told Workers Press:

"These measures are just part of the exploitation of the working class. They are trying even to take away free negotiations. People must become politically aware of what's going on' Percy Riley, a local National Union of Mineworkers' branch official and secretary of the joint miners'-tenants' action committee added: 'We need to involve the tenants as part of the general struggle to get the Tories out.' Several Clay Cross councillors -surcharged £6,985 the day before—were at Conisborough to offer their support.