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This contribution fell far below the cost of the service rendered and the Council
therefore obtained authority in its General Powers Acts, 1921, for the Minister of
Health, after considering representations by the Council and others, to increase
such payments or to prescribe the principle upon which such payments are to be
determined. Any such order will remain in force for at least twenty years, and it
is open to the Council or the Corporation to make further representations within
six months after the expiration of any period of twenty years. In accordance with
these provisions the Council, on 20th December, 1921, decided to ask the Minister
of Health to increase the payments of the Corporation. Negotiations took place
between the Council and the Corporation with a view to a settlement, and ultimately
the Council on 17th July, 1923, decided to apply to the Minister for an order under
section 34 of the Act fixing, by consent, as from and including 1st January, 1922,
the Corporation's payment, such payment being the London main drainage rate less
¾d. in the £ and being calculated upon the rateable value of the borough (including
Government property).
Local
sewers.
Section 69 of the Metropolis Management Act, 1855, provides that no local
sewer shall be made without the approval of the Council. During 1923, the construction
or reconstruction of 80.261 feet of sewers of various sizes has been sanctioned.
Buildings,
etc., over
sewers.
Under section 204 of the Metropolis Management Act, 1855, and section 68 of
the Metropolis Management (Amendment) Act, 1862, no building or any other
encroachment may be erected in, over or under any sewer vested in the Council
except with the Council's consent. During 1923 the Council gave its consent in
19 such cases. In consenting to the erection of buildings over sewers the Council
imposes conditions to safeguard its interests in the sewer or sewers concerned.
Sometimes a charge has been made either annually or by payment of a lump sum,
but doubts having arisen as to the extent to which the Council is entitled to attach
particular conditions to its consent the Council on 6th November, 1923, decided to
seek legislation in order to remove these doubts.
Staff.
The Council on 27th March, 1923, fixed the staff in the chief engineer's department
employed at main drainage stations, etc., and in the Thames floods prevention
service. The total number of officers and employees on the fixed staff is 926 and
two watchmen who each work one day a week on relief. In view of the possible
reduction in the number of vessels the permanent staff for the sludge vessels is
limited to four complete crews. Any vessel above the number of four will be manned
by officers and men either transferred or employed temporarily. The complement
of officers and crew for each vessel is 24.
The staff is in three categories namely (i.) officers and employees whose salaries
and wages are not based on trade rates or decisions of Industrial Councils, (ii.)
officers and employees with wages based on the rates in various trades and (iii.)
manual workers. The first category includes the superintendents and other executive
officers, clerical assistants and a few employees whom it is not possible to classify
elsewhere. With the exception of the superintendent of the sludge vessels whose
salary is on a post-war basis and therefore inclusive, the salaries and wages
of these officers and employees are subject to variations in accordance with
the Council's general scheme of temporary additions to salaries and wages. The
second category includes mechanics in various trades and their unskilled helpers
whose rates of pay are based upon trade or other agreements, subject in certain
instances to additional payments in view of the nature of the work upon which they
are employed ; the three men employed in the Thames floods prevention service
whose rates of pay are adjusted from time to time in accordance with any variations
in pay granted to river workers ; and the officers and crews of the sludge vessels
whose rates of pay are reconsidered in the event of any alteration taking place in
the rates of pay of officers and men employed on vessels of similar tonnage in the
coasting trade. The third category includes the group of workmen who come
within the purview of the Joint Industrial Council for Local Authorities' Non-