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30
The Council decided to take no action with
respect to an adjustment of property and liabilities
between the Council and authorities outside the
Borough where there had been transfers of areas, it
appearing to them that on the whole no advantage
would be gained by taking proceedings in the matter.
Expenses of Council.
Under the system in force previous to the
establishment of the Borough Council, the
work of the various local authorities, including that
of the District Board of Works, was carried on
parochially. The London Government Act, however,
provides that the amount to be raised to meet the
expenses of the Borough Council is to be divided
between the parishes in proportion to their rateable
value subject to any provision required for the adjustment
of local burdens. The Council, therefore, decided
to have one Medical Officer of Health who should
give his whole time to his duties, instead of having
five as heretofore, and to have two Surveyors instead
of four. The Officers and Servants Committee recommended
also that there should be a Chief Librarian
for the Borough, but this recommendation was not
adopted by the Council. It should be stated that
the Council is advised that the above-mentioned
provision with respect to the allocation of expenses does
not extend to the Adoptive Acts, i.e., to Public Libraries,
Baths and Washhouses, and Cemeteries, the accounts
of which continue for the present to be kept parochially.
Officer
One of the earliest duties of the Council
was to re-arrange the staff for carrying on
the work of the various departments. The great
alteration in the system of local government and the
large number of officials transferred to the Council
from the twenty public bodies who formerly exercised
powers in the Borough rendered this work somewhat