Page 42
Page 42
4
tion of the new County Councils, the following is a short summary of the duties and powers which it is proposed to confer upon them by thải Bill:-
1. They will have to carry out all the adminis trative functions now vested in Quarter Sessions.
2. In addition to those they will have certain powers now vested in Government Departments.
3. They will have thrown upon them the duty at present exercised by Assessment Committees appointed by Boards of Guardians in respect of valuation.
4. They will have the duty of maintaining the main roads, the total cost being made a county charge.
5. They will have powers of enforcing Sunday closing in the whole or any part of the area under their jurisdiction; and
6. They will have the power of refusing new licences and the renewal of old licences, provided that in all cases where a licence is not renewed on grounds other than misconduct on the part of the publican, compensation shall be paid to him on the principles contained in the Lands Clauses Act.
7. They will be required to contribute a con- siderable proportion of the expense of indoor relief, and by reason of this obligation they will have a right to inspect workhouses somewhat similar in character to the right they now have with regard to main roads to which they contribute.
In respect of the duties enumerated in the paragraphs 3, 5, 6 and 7, every Quarter Sessions borough not merged in the county, and with a population under 150,000, whether contributing or not to the county rate, shall be united with the county in which it is situate, and shall be represented on the County Council in proportion to its population by members elected by the Town Council, These representatives will also have the right to act on the County Council, as has been before explained, in all cases where the question under consideration is one with which the borough, through its contribution to the county rate, is directly concerned.
The end which the Bill has in view in trans- ferring the duties now exercised by the Assessment Committees of the Guardians, is, in the first place,
Page 42
Page 42
Page 42