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SCHEME OF RATING RELIEF.
Iroposals for Reform in
Local Govern-
ment.
(Previous
Reference: Qabinet 23
(28), Jon- olusion 4.)
Subeequently
altered to read "all" roads (See following
page).
3.The Cabinet had before them a Memorandum by
the Minister of Health, circulating for the approval
of the Cabinet a draft of
Memorandum on Local
Government changes involved in the scheme of
Rating Relief (Paper C.P.-186 (28)). In his
covering Memorandum the Minister of Health drew
attention to the following points:-
That the proposals involve the abolition of the Guardians and the transference of all their functions to County and County Borough Councils:
That the proposed trans ference of the responsibility for the maintenance of scheduled roads from the District Councils to the Counties would rob the Rural District Councils of the bulk of their present work, which they would resist:
That the formula as stated appears complicated, but that the Local Authorities would be mainly con- cerned with the effect on the grant and would concentrate on the tables rather than on the formula:
That the various adjustments pro- posed would in some cases lead to an actual increase in rate poundage; that it is proposed to give a guarantee that this shall not, in the case of non-County Borough and District Councils, exceed 3d. in the pound; and that further consideration is being given to the matter with a view to ascertaining whether it would be possible to guarantee that no loss should arise:
That while the actual derating of agriculture and industry would ocme into force on October 1, 1929 the block grant system would not operate until April 1, 1930, and that provision was consequently being made for a transitional grant to cover deficiencies in the inter- vening half-year:
That the tables relating to County Boroughs would not take into account changes due to the apportionment of Poor Law charges between the Borough and other parts of an existing Union where the boundaries of the Union
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