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63
(The Lewisham Borough Council subsequently agreed to the
suggestion of this Council, and at the end of the period under report,
meetings of the Conference above mentioned were taking place.)
Appointment of Deputy Mayor.
During his year of office as Mayor, Councillor A. L. Bateman
brought to the notice of the Council the urgency, in his opinion,
for the appointment of a Deputy Mayor. He stated that it was
physically impossible for the Mayor to fulfil all the engagements
pressed upon him, and in order to add to the dignity of the Borough
and to assist the Mayor in his onerous duties, he suggested that the
Ex-Mayor should be appointed as Deputy Mayor.
The following provision in regard to the appointment of a
Deputy Mayor is contained in the London County Council (General
Powers) Act, 1929 :—
A Borough Council may appoint a member thereof to be deputy mayor to
hold office during the term of office of the mayor, and subject to any rules made by
the Borough Council anything authorised or required to be done by to or before
the mayor may notwithstanding any other enactment be done by to or before the
deputy mayor. Provided that a deputy mayor shall not, unless he is a justice,
act as a justice or in any judicial capacity.
Before submitting any recommendation to the Council in
regard to the matter, the Finance Committee obtained particulars
from the other Metropolitan Boroughs of the action taken by
them, and the following is a precis of the replies received :—
Eighteen boroughs had not appointed a Deputy Mayor.
One borough had adjourned consideration of the matter until
November, 1931.
Nine boroughs had appointed Deputy Mayors.
After carefully considering the whole question, the Council
decided to take no action in the matter.
Quinquennial Valuation, 1930.
The Assessment Committee, having finally approved the
Quinquennial Valuation List, 1930, submitted for the information
of the Council the following report of their proceedings during the
Quinquennial Re-Valuation.
The Valuation List for the Borough, which was deposited by
the Council on June 14th, was transmitted to the Assessment
Committee on June 30th. The List as deposited contained total
new values as follows:—