County Surveyors Society
Encyclopedia
The County Surveyors’ Society was established officially at a meeting of eleven County Surveyors for England
on 19 November 1885.
It was a society
for people working in local government
in highways departments in senior positions known as County Surveyors.
Over time most authorities stopped using the term County Surveyor, but the society and the magazine who support them Surveyor magazine
both opted to retain the title, although the society has since been subsumed (see reference to ADEPT below).
The first meeting, and many other early meetings, were concerned with conditions of service of Surveyors, mainly pay and hours of work.
However, by 1890 the society
had become increasingly involved with such matters as the rolling and watering of carriageways and repairs to footways.
The Development and Roads Improvement Act of 1909 created a Roads Board, which later became the Department for Transport
with powers to give grants to Highway Authorities, normally part of local authorities to construct and maintain roads.
Many meetings of the society at that time were concerned with these grants, attempting to ensure an even spread of money around England
and Wales
.
A Society of County Surveyors for Scotland
was formed in 1931,although this was an extension of the earlier County Road Surveyors Association of Scotland founded in 1884, a year earlier than its English counterpart. In June 1937 it was agreed that they should join with their English and Welsh counterparts.
In 1937 a Society delegation visited Germany
and subsequently set out proposals in 1938 for a national motorway network, having been impressed with the work carried out by the then Nazi Government.
In 1955 with rationing
that had hung over Great Britain
since the end of World War II
saw the end of the lean years of highway funding with the beginning of the motorway era, during which time the UK was transformed from a series of country lanes to having major ‘A’ routes and motorways, eventually including the M25
.
Following the publication of the Buchanan Report in 1964 County Surveyors became increasingly involved in transportation studies, traffic management and road safety, in addition to the existing work on road maintenance and new road construction.
The 1970s saw the start of the greatest road building programme since the days of the Turnpikes and also a major change in the structure of local authorities. The Society played a significant part in these changes and was accepted as a principal channel for initiatives and advice.
The 1974 reorganisation of Local Government
added waste disposal to County Surveyors’ responsibilities.
At the same time Surveyors of the Counties in Northern Ireland became part of the Department of the
Environment but in 1992 a Northern Ireland
branch was formed which became part of the main Society.
which was calling on the UK government to make safe road design a national transport priority.. Since then, CSS has been subsumed by ADEPT, the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on 19 November 1885.
It was a society
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
for people working in local government
Local government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
in highways departments in senior positions known as County Surveyors.
Over time most authorities stopped using the term County Surveyor, but the society and the magazine who support them Surveyor magazine
Surveyor magazine
Surveyor is a British professional weekly magazine for those in the public and private sectors providing technical services in local government....
both opted to retain the title, although the society has since been subsumed (see reference to ADEPT below).
The first meeting, and many other early meetings, were concerned with conditions of service of Surveyors, mainly pay and hours of work.
However, by 1890 the society
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
had become increasingly involved with such matters as the rolling and watering of carriageways and repairs to footways.
The Development and Roads Improvement Act of 1909 created a Roads Board, which later became the Department for Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
with powers to give grants to Highway Authorities, normally part of local authorities to construct and maintain roads.
Many meetings of the society at that time were concerned with these grants, attempting to ensure an even spread of money around England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
A Society of County Surveyors for Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
was formed in 1931,although this was an extension of the earlier County Road Surveyors Association of Scotland founded in 1884, a year earlier than its English counterpart. In June 1937 it was agreed that they should join with their English and Welsh counterparts.
In 1937 a Society delegation visited Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and subsequently set out proposals in 1938 for a national motorway network, having been impressed with the work carried out by the then Nazi Government.
In 1955 with rationing
Rationing
Rationing is the controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, or services. Rationing controls the size of the ration, one's allotted portion of the resources being distributed on a particular day or at a particular time.- In economics :...
that had hung over Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
since the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
saw the end of the lean years of highway funding with the beginning of the motorway era, during which time the UK was transformed from a series of country lanes to having major ‘A’ routes and motorways, eventually including the M25
M25 motorway
The M25 motorway, or London Orbital, is a orbital motorway that almost encircles Greater London, England, in the United Kingdom. The motorway was first mooted early in the 20th century. A few sections, based on the now abandoned London Ringways plan, were constructed in the early 1970s and it ...
.
Following the publication of the Buchanan Report in 1964 County Surveyors became increasingly involved in transportation studies, traffic management and road safety, in addition to the existing work on road maintenance and new road construction.
The 1970s saw the start of the greatest road building programme since the days of the Turnpikes and also a major change in the structure of local authorities. The Society played a significant part in these changes and was accepted as a principal channel for initiatives and advice.
The 1974 reorganisation of Local Government
Local government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
added waste disposal to County Surveyors’ responsibilities.
At the same time Surveyors of the Counties in Northern Ireland became part of the Department of the
Environment but in 1992 a Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
branch was formed which became part of the main Society.
Campaign for Safe Road Design
In July 2008, having dropped the full title, County Surveyors Society, its residual organisation, CSS, remained a partner in the Campaign for Safe Road DesignCampaign for Safe Road Design
The Campaign for Safe Road Design is a partnership between 13 UK major road safety stakeholders that is calling for the UK Government to invest in a safe road infrastructure which in their view could cut deaths on British roads by 33%.-Aims:...
which was calling on the UK government to make safe road design a national transport priority.. Since then, CSS has been subsumed by ADEPT, the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport.