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29. This Council approved of the foregoing proposals, which
were considered by the County Council in October last, when such
Council decided that the Government should be approached with
a view to legislation being introduced in the present Session to
effect the suggested amendment of the Local Government Act, and
that, failing action by the Government, the Council should endeavour
to secure the introduction of a private Member's Bill for
the purpose. No Bill on the subject has yet been introduced into
Parliament.
30. The Council considered some additions proposed by the
Westminster City Council to be made to the
lations for costermongers made by the Commissioner
of Police, and approved thereof, and appointed Councillors
Turnbull and Wise its representatives to attend a Conference convened
by the Westminster Council on the subject. The Conference
was held on the 16th June, and certain additional regulations,
with which this Council agree, were approved and forwarded
to the Home Secretary and the Commissioner of Police.
Costermongers.
31. The Council again had under consideration the subject of
compounding for rates. It was found that since
the compounding allowance was reduced from 25
to 20 per cent, in April, 1907, the number of rateable hereditaments
in respect of which the owners, rated under Section 4 of the
Act of 1869, declined to pay rates whether the premises were
occupied or not, had increased from 2,205 to 6,516, and the Rating
Committee pointed out that in those cases the owners received 15
per cent, allowance for occupied properties and paid no rates for
"empties." The Council, being of opinion that such an arrangement
was not of advantage to the Borough, rescinded the resolutions
ordering owners to be rated under Section 4 of the Act, and
decided that all agreements to compound be under Section 3, and
upon condition that all compoundable properties in the Borough
belonging to the same owner be included in the agreement; that
the maximum rateable value of properties compounded for be
£15; that the commission to owners agreeing to become liable
for and pay the rates whether the hereditaments be occupied or
not, be 15 per cent.; and that unless the rates be paid by the 15th
day of the second month in the quarter in which they are due the
commission be reduced to 5 per cent. The limit of rateable value
c
Compounding
for Rates.