View report page

16
Equalization of Rates,
The London Equalization of Rates Bill, introduced into the
House of Commons on the 29th. March, 1894, received the
Royal assent on the 25th day of August. The Board on the
recommendation of the Law and Parliamentary Committee
presented a Petition to the House of Commons against the
Bill on the ground that it would press unduly and unfairly
on the St. Giles District. That this was the case was
evidenced by the Return issued by the London County
Council in November last, setting forth the sums payable
by certain parishes and receivable by certain sanitary
Districts under the Act.
The following extract from a communication addressed to
the Local Government Board points out concisely the effect
of the Act on the St. Giles District:—
The Rateable value of the St. Giles District on the 6th
April, 1894, was the sum of £420,890, the population at the
census, 1891, was 39,782. The Act requires the formation
of an Equalization Fund equal to a rate of 6d. in the £ on
the rateable value of London according to the valuation lists
as they stand on the 6th day of April in every year. The
London County Council are, every half year, to determine
the contribution from each Parish to one half of the equalization
fund, and to ascertain the amount due from that one
half of the fund to each Parish by apportioning the amount
of half the equalization fund among the Sanitary Districts
in proportion to their population. Where the contribution
exceeds the amount due to the Parish, the Council shall,
for the special purpose of meeting the excess, levy on the
Parish a county contribution called the equalization charge,
as a separate item of the County Rate. From the return