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79
108.—These resolutions are similar to those passed at the
former Conference, this Council's suggestions set out in last year's
report not having been adopted.
London
Building
Acts.
109.—The Bill introduced into Parliament by the London
County Council in the Session of 1903 for the
amendment of the Building Act was promoted
chiefly with the object of reducing fire risks in high buildings.
Many objections having been made to the Bill it was withdrawn
and a Committee of the County Council then took into consideration
the question of the general amendment of the Acts. In
response to an invitation for this Council's observations on the
subject the County Council was informed—
(a) That the Borough Council adhered to the resolution
passed on the 4th February, 1903, calling attention to the fact that
many of the provisions of the London Building Acts (Amendment)
Bill then before Parliament were unsatisfactory and likely to cause
contention owing to the uncertainty which would arise as to the
requirements which the County Council might make under them.
(b) That the Borough Council was of opinion that where the
external or forecourt wall of a building was set back the prescribed
distance from the centre of the road or where the London County
Council had consented to the erection of a building upon condition
that the land in front be given up to the public, it should be made
clear by the statute that the land separating the building from the
public way was to form part of the public way.
(c) That it appeared to the Borough Council to be impossible
in practice to distinguish between what was included in the term
"wooden structure" used in section 84 of the Act of 1894, and what
was included in the term "building or structure" used in sections
82 and 83, and, as the larger wooden structures and all corrugated
iron temporary buildings were licensed by the London County
Council under sections 82 and 83 the Borough Council was of
opinion that the administration of section 84 (which was transferred
to Borough Councils by the London Government Act, 1899) should
revert to the County Council;
(d) That the Borough Council was of opinion that the powers
and duties of the District Surveyors should be transferred to the
Borough Councils.
The County Council still have the matter under consideration.