Local Government Board
Encyclopedia
The Local Government Board (LGB) was a British Government supervisory body overseeing local administration in England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...

 from 1871 to 1919.

The LGB was created by the Local Government Board Act 1871 (C. 70) and took over the public health and local government responsibilities of the Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...

 and the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...

 and all the functions of the Poor Law Board
Poor Law Board
The Poor Law Board was established in the United Kingdom in 1847 as a successor body to the Poor Law Commission overseeing the administration of the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act...

, which was abolished.

Membership

The board was headed by a president
President of the Local Government Board
The President of the Local Government Board was a ministerial post, frequently a Cabinet position, in the United Kingdom, established in 1871. The Local Government Board itself was established in 1871 and took over supervisory functions from the Board of Trade and the Home Office, including the...

, appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the British monarch
Monarchy of the United Kingdom
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...

. The president was permitted to hold a seat and vote in the House of Commons, and the position was generally held by a cabinet minister.

In addition the board had a number of ex officio members consisting of the Lord President of the Council
Lord President of the Council
The Lord President of the Council is the fourth of the Great Officers of State of the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord High Treasurer and above the Lord Privy Seal. The Lord President usually attends each meeting of the Privy Council, presenting business for the monarch's approval...

, the Principal Secretaries of State
Secretary of State (United Kingdom)
In the United Kingdom, a Secretary of State is a Cabinet Minister in charge of a Government Department ....

, the Lord Privy Seal
Lord Privy Seal
The Lord Privy Seal is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and above the Lord Great Chamberlain. The office is one of the traditional sinecure offices of state...

 and the Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...

. The ex officio members were not paid a salary. The board itself seldom met, with policy being decided by the president of the board. He was assisted by a Parliamentary Secretary
Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board was, from 1871 – 1919, a junior ministerial post in the United Kingdom subordinate to the President of the Local Government Board...

 (also a member of the Commons), and a permanent secretary (a civil servant). The practical work of the LGB was carried out by its salaried officers.

Officers

The Local Government Board was permitted to appoint such secretaries, assistant secretaries, inspectors, auditors, clerks, messengers, "and other officers" as they deemed fit, subject to the approval of the treasury. Salaries paid to officers were required to be confirmed by parliament. On the formation of the LGB, the existing staff of the Poor Law Board, the Local Government Act Office and the Medical Department of the Privy Council were transferred to the new body.

Powers and duties

The purpose of the LGB was stated to be "the supervision of the laws relating to the public health, the relief of the poor, and local government". The act establishing the board listed the duties transferred from existing authorities under various acts of parliament:
  • Transferred from the Home Office:
    • Registration of births, deaths, and marriages (Births and Deaths Registration Act 1836, Births and Deaths Registration Act 1837)
    • Public health (Public Health Act 1848)
    • Local government (Local Government Act 1858, Local Government Act (1858) Amendment Act 1861, Local Government Amendment Act 1863)
    • Drainage and sanitary matters (Sewage Utilization Act 1865, Sanitary Act 1866, Sewage Utilization Act 1867, Sanitary Act 1868, Sanitary Loans Act 1869)
    • Baths and wash-houses (Baths and Washhouses Act 1846, Baths and Washhouses Act 1847)
    • Public improvements (Public Improvements Act 1860)
    • Towns improvement (Towns Improvement Clauses Act 1847)
    • Artizans and labourers dwellings (Artizans and Labourers Dwellings Act 1868)
    • Returns of local taxation (Local Taxation Returns Act 1861)

  • Transferred from the Privy Council:
    • Prevention of Disease (Public Health Act 1848, Diseases Prevention Act 1855, Public Health Act 1858, Public Health Act 1859, Nuisances Removal Act 1860, Sanitary Act 1866, Sanitary Act 1868)
    • Vaccination (Vaccination Act 1867)

  • Transferred from the Poor Law Board
    • All powers and duties vested in or imposed on the Poor Law Board by the several Acts of Parliament relating to the relief of the poor.


In 1872 the Board received further responsibilities, when the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...

 transferred administration of the Turnpike and Highway Acts, Metropolitan Water Act 1852 and the Alkali Act 1863
Alkali Act 1863
Under the British Alkali Act 1863, an Alkali inspector and four subinspectors were appointed to curb discharge into the air of hydrogen chloride from the Leblanc alkali works.In 1874 the Inspector became the Chief Inspector...

 to the LGB.

Delegated legislation

The board was empowered to make general orders and regulations enforcing the various stautes for which it was responsible. These orders and regulations had the same force of law as those made by a secretary of state.

Inspection and regulation

The LGB had broad powers of regulation of the bodies under its control. The board's inspectors were able to visit local authorities and ensure that they were performing satisfactorily. They could also act as a medium for resolving disputes between local bodies and ratepayers or other interests.

Provisional orders

The board possessed quasi-judicial powers, being able to make legally binding decisions on the bodies under its supervision. Examples included the changing of boundaries, raising of loans or the taking on of additional powers. These provisional orders were subject to confirmation by parliament.

Auditing and accountability

The board compiled and published financial summaries for each local authority annually. It also appointed district auditors and supplied such statistics as might be required by parliament.

Abolition

The Ministry of Health Act 1919 abolished the Local Government Board, and all of its powers and duties were transferred to the new ministry, which also combined the duties of the Insurance Commissioners, the Welsh Insurance Commissioners, the medical duties of the Board of Education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....

, the duties of the Privy Council under the Midwives Acts and the powers of the Home Secretary in relation to the Children Act 1908
Children Act 1908
The 1908 Children's Act, also known as Children and Young Persons Act, part of the Children's Charter was a piece of government legislation passed by the Liberal government, as part of the British Liberal Party's liberal reforms package...

.

See also

  • Local Government Board for Scotland
    Local Government Board for Scotland
    The Local Government Board for Scotland was the body charged with overseeing local government, public health and poor law in Scotland from 1894 to 1919.-Establishment:...

    , a similar body in Scotland from 1894 – 1919
  • Local Government Board for Ireland, established in 1872 and abolished in 1922.
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