| Description | Council meeting, 3 July 1817
[Sederunt given]
The Council approved the report of the committee on the necessity of procuring £1,400 to defray the ordinary expenses of the burgh, as the magistrates had been deprived of funds by the conveyance of the Town's property to the Trustees for the creditors of the Treasury. The Council directed the Provost to transmit a letter to the Trustees requesting their opinion on schemes for procuring a supply of money, particularly a plan for imposing an assessment on the heritage of the burgh. (128v - 129v)
The Council approved the resolutions of the Standing Committee to erect thirteen new stalls for the sale of meat at the north end of the Poultry Market, at an estimated cost of £100. The Dean of Guild had received applications from butchers from the country for accommodation to sell their meat, and had agreed to lease the additional stalls to them at £2 10 shillings yearly rent for each stall. (129v - 130r)
The Council approved the magistrates' decision to sell by public roup two pieces of ground which formed part of the Glebe of Footdee (marked 4 and 5 on the plan by Colin Innes, land surveyor), on an application from Dr John Thomson, Catechist of Footdee. (The ground belonged to the fund which paid Dr Thomson's salary). The first piece of ground extended from the highway to the Links, and was bounded by Mr William Maitland's house and ground on the north side and by Mr William Knowles' ground on the south side. The second piece of ground lay between Footdee Church and the Links, and was bounded by William Knowles' ground on the north side and by the ropework of Mr Forbes of Echt on the south side. (130r - 130v)
The Council empowered Mr George Thomson, Master of Mortifications, to grant a disposition of the lots of ground at Footdee (marked 2 and 3 on the plan by Colin Innes, land surveyor) in favour of the Master of Shoreworks, in order to regularise an earlier agreement. (The lots of ground had been earmarked for the harbour improvements in 1807 and 1811, in return for £517 to be used to support a Preacher or Catechist at Footdee. Though the lots had not been conveyed to the Master of Shoreworks on behalf of Harbour Trustees, the Harbour Trustees had been paying the interest on the £517 to the Catechist of Footdee.) (130v - 131r)
The Council approved the magistrates' dismissal of Benjamin Clerk, one of the Town Sergeants, from his office in consequence of his habitual intoxication and total neglect of duties. The Council appointed John Roger, one of the Sheriff officers and constables for the County, to be one of the ordinary Town Sergeants, in place of Benjamin Clerk, with the usual salary, profits and emoluments. (John Roger was recommended by Mr Cadenhead, Procurator Fiscal, citing his police experience in Aberdeen and Bow Street, London.) The Council remitted to the magistrates to frame a set of rules and regulations for the future conduct of the six Town Sergeants. (131r - 131v) |