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36
At present the London County Council has no power with regard to
valuation or assessments, except that of appealing as a "body of persons
authorised by law to levy rates " against the total of the gross or rateable
value of any parish, and of appealing against assessments in districts where
the Council is a ratepayer. The Bill confers extensive powers upon the
Council with the view of securing greater uniformity in the valuation of
proporty. There is no doubt that in the past there has boon very considerable
divergence among Assessment Authorities in valuing property, and as
a large proportion (about two-thirds) of the rates raisad are paid to central
bodies, based on the rateable value of the contributing district, this divergonco
operates unfairly upon those parishes where property is assessed at
the higher valuation.
The Board decided to approve the principle of the
Bill, which has not yet reached the second reading.
The Board petitioned in favour of the Vehicles Lights
Bill, the object of which was to require all vehicles on
highways not lighted by gas, electricity, or other means,
to carry lights during the period between one hour after
sunset and one hour before sunrise. The Bill has, however,
been dropped.
The Board took no action with regard to the other
Bills above-mentioned. The London County Council
(Water) Bill was withdrawn.
Protection
from Fire.
The Board have on several occasions called
the attention of the London County Council to the need
in the District of increased protection from fire. The Fire
Brigade Committee of the Council having considered the
whole question, brought up a series of recommendations
for increasing the number of fire stations, &c., throughout
the Metropolis. The matter was referred back to such
Committee with instructions to report as to which stations
should be established during the present financial year;
and so far as regards this district the Council have decided
to establish a fire engine station at Streatham, to station a
fire escape at Lower Streatham, to fix five fire alarms in
the locality, to establish a small fire station at Brixton Hill,
and to station fire escapes at Balham Hill and East Hill,