821
PUBLIC RELATIONS
16th November, 1959.
PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE:
Present: His Worship the Mayor (Alderman Cutler, J.P., C.C.); the Deputy
Mayor (Alderman Sheldrake); Councillor MacRae (in the Chair); Alder­
man Rogers; Councillors Barber, Mrs. Edgeworth, Glanville, Jones, ManleyWalker, Mason and Mrs. Morgan.
PART I.—RECOMMENDATIONS.
RECOMMENDATION I: Sixteenth Civic Delegate Conference, 1960.
Your Committee have reconsidered their recommendation relating to the
Sixteenth Civic Delegate Conference, 1960, which was taken back at the last
meeting of the Council by the Chairman for further consideration by your Com­
mittee.
Your Committee have carefully reviewed the arrangements for the next Con­
ference and propose that, in substitution for the session dealing with the 11-plus
examination, there should be a session dealing with the work of the General
Purposes Committee, and to this suggestion the General Purposes Com­
mittee have agreed.
Your Committee also feel that four Members for each of the panels of the
two Brains Trusts are not sufficient, and after further consideration your Com­
mittee recommend that each panel be increased from four to six Members.
With these amendments, and also one in regard to the Chairmanship of the
" Any Answers " Session, your Committee re-submit their recommendation.
The Council is already aware in some detail of the general subject matters of
the various sessions for the next Delegate Conference, which will be held at
the Kodak Hall, Headstone Drive, Wealdstone, on Saturday and Sunday, 6th
and 7th February, 1960, and have pleasure in recapitulating the matter, as
follows:
Friday, 5th February, 1960.
Conference Ball: 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Saturday, 6th February, 1960.
1st Session: 3-5 p.m.: To be devoted to two separate Brains Trusts, with
Mr. Lionel Marson as Question Master.
2nd Session: 6.30-8.30 p.m.: That this session be devoted to a play on the
main theme of the Conference.
Sunday, 7th February, 1960.
3rd Session: 3-5 p.m.: " The Work of the General Purposes Committee."
4th Session : 6.30-8.30 p.m.: " Any Answers?"—A free for all discussion.
As to the 1st Session, your Committee propose that each of the Brains Trusts
should comprise six members, the first to be of Members of the Council, the
questions to be selected in the usual manner after circularising local organisa­
tions; and the second comprising Delegates. The questions to be put to them,
it is suggested, should be selected from questions invited by your Committee
from all Members of the Council.
In regard to the 2nd Session, it is felt by your Committee that, throughout
the whole Conference, the main theme should be " Our Town," and that the
subject of the play by Miss Irene Butler, to be produced by the Arts Council,
should be this.
PUBLIC RELATIONS
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In regard to the 3rd Session, your Committee have requested the General
Purposes Committee to consider how this topic can best be presented.
For the 4th Session, your Committee suggest that it would be most fitting
if Alderman Alien would act as Chairman of this Session, which will deal with
matters arising from the whole Conference and give an opportunity for general
discussion on the various Sessions.
The Local Government Act, 1948, and section 90 of the Middlesex County
Council Act, 1956, provide the authority to incur reasonable expenditure in
connection with the proposed Conference, and a sum of £400 has been in­
cluded in the current estimates. Your Committee recommend that a sum not
exceeding £500 be authorised. It will also be necessary to provide light re­
freshments for distinguished visitors, and it is proposed that these expenses
should form part of the Conference expenditure.
Resolved to RECOMMEND:
That the Public Relations Committee be authorised to make all necessary
arrangements in connection with the Sixteenth Civic Delegate Conference,
to be held on 6th and 7th February, 1960, as detailed in the report of the
Public Relations Committee of 16th November, 1959, at a cost of not exceed­
ing £500, and that the Town Clerk be hereby authorised to take all necessary
action in connection therewith.
PART II.—MINUTES.
367. Minutes: RESOLVED : That the minutes of the meeting of the Committee
held on the 12th October, 1959, having been circulated, be taken as read
and signed as a correct record.
368. Sixteenth Civic Delegate Conference, 5th, 6th and 7th February, 1960:
(1) First Session: " Brains Trust": RESOLVED : That the Town Clerk
be instructed to extend invitations to the following Members of the Council,
who will comprise the Members' Panel: —
Alderman Jordan; Councillors Cross, Mrs. Edgeworth, Gibbons, Lovell
and Rees;
and to the Rev. Deasy, Miss Stew, Messrs. Gadney, Taylor, Topley and
Capt. Wilson, who will comprise the Delegates' Panel.
(2) Second Session: A play upon the theme " Our Town ": RESOLVED:
That the Town Clerk be instructed to obtain from Miss Irene Butler details
of the play now being prepared, for the next meeting of this Committee.
(3) General Conference Arrangements:
(a) That His Worship the Mayor be formally invited to open the
Conference.
(b) That tea intervals be from 5-6.30 p.m.
(c) That lapel badges be provided for delegates.
(d) That Members of the Council act as hosts.
(e) That the first two rows of seating be reserved for special guests
and Council hosts, and that the Members of the Council be seated on one
side of the hall only.
(f) That roving microphones be provided, but that special arrangements
be made to brief Chairmen of the Sessions.
(g) That the Town Clerk make arrangements, as now instructed, to
move votes of thanks at each Session.
(h) That the Chairman of the Public Relations Committee sum up the
Conference.
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PUBLIC RELATIONS
RESOLVED: That the report of the Special Sub-Committee regarding
general publicity measures for the Sixteenth Delegate Conference, 1960,
be received.
369. Annual Conference of the Institute of Public Relations: The Town
Clerk reported that the General Purposes Committee will consider at their
next meeting the Annual List of Conferences of Associations, etc., which
are to be approved for the sending of delegates.
The Conference with which this Committee is concerned is the Institute
of Public Relations.
RESOLVLD: That this Committee recommend to the General Purposes
Committee that the Conference of the Institute of Public Relations, for
1960/61, be included on the list of approved conferences.
370. Date of Next Meeting: The Town Clerk reported that the next meeting
of this Committee on the table of Committee meetings will be on Monday,
28th December, 1959, and sought instructions from the Committee as to
whether they wish to change the date of this meeting in view of Christmas,
and that the Establishment Committee have granted the Monday as a
holiday to the staff.
RESOLVED: That the date of the next meeting be at 7.30 p.m. on Monday,
4th January, 1960.
371. Reference from Other Committees: The Town Clerk referred to resolu­
tion 1975 of the Public Health Committee of 20th October, 1959, dealing
with cancer of the lung and the tobacco habit, and the request that the
Public Relations Committee be asked to give the fullest publicity on the
Council's notice boards, and in the Civic News or Bulletin, to that part of
the Medical Officer of Health's Annual Report for 1958, dealing with
smoking and cancer of the lung.
RESOLVED: (1) That the Town Clerk arrange for publicity to be given
to this matter in the Civic News or Bulletin, and that the question of a
wider circulation of a shorter version of the report of the Medical Officer of
Health be considered at the next meeting of this Committee. (2) That,
when preparing the Public Relations Committee's estimates for 1961, an
item be included to allow for publicity to be given in future for matters
of this description.
372. Facilities Available for Old People: The Town Clerk referred to the
present publicity, which had been widely circulated, dealing with facilities
available to old people in the Borough of Harrow, and suggested that in the
very near future the time would be opportune for the publication to be
brought up-to-date, and consideration given to a shorter version being pro­
duced for general distribution.
RESOLVED: That this matter be placed on the agenda for the next
meeting of the Committee.
(Signed) A. E. P. F. MACRAE,
Chairman.
PUBLIC RELATIONS
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APPENDIX.
27th October, 1959.
SPECIAL SUB-COMMITTEE
RE DELEGATE CONFERENCE:
Present: Councillors Macrae (in the Chair), Mrs. Edgeworth, Fletcher and
Jones.
RECOMMENDATION: Sixteenth Civic Delegate Conference, 1960.
The Public Relations Committee requested your Special Sub-Committee to con­
sider the various publicity measures in connection with the forthcoming
Conference. They recommend as follows:—
A.
General Publicity Measures.
1. All "Y" Voters to receive a personal invitation from His Worship the
Mayor, if he agrees. (This was done in connection with " The Invitation
to Citizenship" Session in 1953.)
2. Posters should be circulated to schools and cinemas, as well as displayed
on Council poster boards and buses.
3. A copy of the Conference Handbook should be sent to schools, with a
request that the week prior to the Conference, particular attention be devoted
to Civics.
4. That attention be given, as last year, to the B.B.C. being asked to give
publicity to the Conference.
5. The local press be asked, as in previous years, to give publicity to the
Conference.
6. Printed invitation cards for the Public be sent with handbooks to local
organisations, specially worded " You are invited to attend."
B.
Competitions to provide further publicity for the Conference.
That in view of the shortage of time, immediate arrangements be made
by the Town Clerk to circulate, to all senior schools in the Borough of
Harrow, details of three competitions, previously suggested: —
(a) Poster Competition;
(b) Essay Competition;
(t) Competition for the best poem;
and that prizes to the value of £3, £2, and £1 be awarded for each competi­
tion, which shall close for entries on 14th December, 1959.
Further, that your Sub-Committee meet on Tuesday, 15th December, 1959,
to judge the entries received, and that the Town Clerk obtain the further
specialised assistance of the persons now named, in the judging of the entries
received.
Also, that if recommended, the poem and essay be published in the
Conference Handbook, and consideration given to the poster being produced
on the front cover of the Handbook, as well as being used as the poster
to publicise the Conference.
RESOLVED to recommend accordingly.
(Signed) A. E. P. F. MACRAE,
Chairman.