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1872, which require the consent of the Local Government Board or the
Home Secretary, and the consent of owners and ratepayers. The Board
already possesses the power of opposing Bills affecting its interests without
these limitations.
Clause 8 provides that where any power or duties are transferred
from the County Council to the Borough Council the County Council
shall contribute towards the expense of exercising such powers.
Clause 9 enacts that any Committee appointed by a Borough
Council for the purpose of the Libraries Acts, or of any of its other
powers or duties, may consist partly of persons not members of the
Council. This power is at present only possessed with respect to
Libraries. The clause also provides that the proceedings of Committees
shall not in all cases require the approval of the Council.
Clause 10 provides that there shall in future be only one rate, to be
called the General Rate, but provision is to be made for protecting the
interests of occupiers of premises which are now exempt from any rate
or liable to be assessed thereto at a less amount. The accounts relating
to the General Rate are to be audited as if it were the Poor Rate. This
apparently means the Overseers' accounts only, as auditors of the
borough accounts are to be elected (Clause 2), but the point should be
made clear.
The clause also provides that where a Borough comprises more
than one parish the amount to be raised to meet the expenses of the
Council is to be divided between the parishes in proportion to their
rateable value. This is, however, subject to the proviso that where any
local or other Act does not extend to the whole Borough the rate shall
be levied as an additional item of the General Rate for the area to
which the Act extends.
Clause 11 provides that the Borough Council shall appoint Overseers
of every parish within the Borough, and shall provide or maintain
the office of the Overseers, shall appoint such officers as may be required
to assist them, and shall defray the expenses of the performance of their
duties. Where there is more than one parish in the Borough the same
Overseers are to be appointed Overseers for each of the parishes. The
Overseers for the Borough will therefore be one body. The clause also
provides for all the rates being levied as far as practicable on one
demand note, in a form to be approved by the Local Government
Board. The demand note is to state, amongst other things, the approximate
amount in the pound required for each purpose.
The clause repeals all enactments conferring on any other person
the powers or duties of Overseers or any other powers or duties in