The Clerk to the Council is a very important position as it is the legal form of the Council to whom all communications should be addressed. The Clerk holds a salaried position which is perhaps why at the inception of the Council there was some competition for the job. The first Clerk was Mr D Feasey, who beat I Jefferson by 4 votes to 3. It is interesting to note that the latter was proposed by Councillor E J Jefferson. The Council set the salary of the Clerk at £2.10.0 per annum. Three years later however (15th April 1898) he was asked to accept less than £2.10.0 p.a. and the sum of £1.10.0 p.a. was suggested. The Clerk refused to accept a reduction and immediately resigned.
Thirteen days later the Council had received four applications for the position. They voted as follows:
G. Hine 1 vote F Collett 0 votes C Puzey not voted upon J Feasey 3 votes
J Feasey, a relative of the previous Clerk, was therefore given the post at a salary of £1.10.0 p.a., which two years later, on 31st March 1901 was increased to £2.00.0 p.a.
The Clerks to the Council have been:
Name From To Notes D Feasey 05.01.1895 15.04.1898 Resigned over pay J Feasey 28.04.1898 17.04.1913 1 E Stapleton 17.04.1913 30.09.1914 2 A E G Bennett 30.09.1914 16.11.1916 3 George Holman 16.11.1916 17.03.1919 Until return of A Bennett A E G Bennett 17.03.1919 31.03.1927 4 S A Nicholson 01.04.1927 21.03.1949 5 Mrs E.K.Nicholls 21.03.1949 31.03.1972 6, 7, 8 G Smith 31.03.1972 31.03.1977 9
1. The post became that of Clerk and Assistant Overseer with the District Council virtually saying who should be the Clerk
2. Mr Stapleton was appointed to the RDC and had to resign as he could not be in a paid position with a local authority at the same time.
3. Mr Bennett had joined His Majesty's Forces.
4. The "Rating & Valuation Act 1925" was to be enacted on 31st March 1928, when the second role of the Clerk as Assistant Overseer finished. Mr Bennett therefore decided to relinquish the post and the Council noted that they would "take steps with a view to coming to a decision as to filling the vacancy." Mr S A Nicholson, of Newport Pagnell, was appointed with effect from 1st April 1927.
5. Mr Nicholson was most probably a clerk in a firm of solicitors for the minute book during his term of office is written in a very fair copperplate hand. His salary was £5.00.0 per annum. His beautifully written minutes record the life of the village over 23 years.
6. The appointment of Mrs Nicholls was approved subject to Mr Goodman assisting her. In view of the increased number of councillors Mrs Nicholl's salary was raised to £10.00.0 per annum with effect from 10th March 1958
7. Mrs Nicholls resigned with effect from 1st April 1972. The clerks salary was increased to £30 as from that date!
8. The Council in appreciation of Mrs Nicholl's service presented a dinner service as a parting gift.
9. Salary increased to £75 p a with effect from 01.04.1975
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