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British Local Government.
One of the most important institutions of democracy in Britain
is the County Council. All over the country it performs the
function of local government and administration, and performs it
so admirably that it is taken for granted as part of the pattern
of our national life. Actually it is a modern institution. Only
a few weeks ago the County Councils celebrated their jubilee, for
they came into active operation in April, 1889. Previous to that,
the "Quarter Sessions" had managed the business of the counties
for some 500 years.
Local government, which requires an unceasing devotion on the
part of many willing workers to the public service, often without
pay or hope of material reward, touches most nearly the life of
the ordinary man at many points. The public health services,
education, poor-law administration, and a host of other services
are personal in their application, and depend for their success upon
the work of the County Councils and other local bodies.
There is no suggestion that local government has yet reached
its permanent and final form. The needs of all communities have
increased; standards of life are higher; more public services are
required; and these bring with them an increase and expansion of
administrative organisations. To turn to the financial aspect of
the question, the wide scope of the administrative work of all the
County Councils in England and Wales may be realised from the fact
that their total cost last year was £307,000,000, of which
£176,000,000 was raised locally in rates, and £131,000,000 was
contributed from the national exchequer.