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68
It should be mentioned that the values inserted in the Quinquennial
Valuation List, 1930, in respect of "railway hereditaments"
in the Borough were the values then existing. These
values were, at the date of submission of the report, in process of
determination by the new authority known as the Railway Assessment
Authority constituted under the Railways (Valuation for
Rating) Act, 1930, and upon the values being so determined the
List would be revised as necessary with effect as from the date on
which the Quinquennial Valuation List, 1930, would become
operative, namely, April 6th, 1931.
Rate Levy and Collection.
At their meeting in April the Council had before them the
following report from the Borough Treasurer and Controller :—
Finance Department,
Gentlemen, March 19th, 1930.
General Rate.
Making and Collection.
The publication by the Ministry of Health of the New Accounts, etc., Regulations,
and the Form of Rate Demand Note (London) Rules has cleared up a question
which has been exercising the minds of Financial Officers, as to whether there
would be new statutory requirements in respect to the form of rate book, and the
methods of recording rate debits and credits.
No alteration in existing arrangements having been made, it is possible for me
to submit for your consideration, a suggestion, that, as from April, 1931, the
Council do levy the General Rate yearly, instead of half-yearly, as at present.
In the Metropolitan Boroughs the general practice is to levy a half-yearly
rate, the exceptions being Hampstead and Paddington, which boroughs make a
yearly rate.
The reason for the adoption of the half-yearly rate was, no doubt, that it
afforded better opportunities to provide for supplementary votes of the local
authority, and to make any necessary adjustments in respect to any variation of
requirements of the precepting authorities.
With the transfer of the Poor Law to the County Council, the heavy fluctuations
in Guardians precepts experienced throughout London will pass, and it is
anticipated that the precept of the County will be more standardised, so that with
the cost of public assistance becoming a general charge over London, there will not,
in future, be so much fluctuation in the local rates. Although in Camberwell we
have experienced marked increases and decreases in half-yearly precepts, it has
never been found necessary for the Council to make and levy a supplementary rate.
Precepts have been accepted and discharged, and the necessary financial adjustments
made in succeeding rates. On an opinion gained from this experience I
can, with confidence, place before you my recommendation for a change of system,
believing that a yearly, instead of a half-yearly rate, would not create any financial
difficulty, but that material financial benefits would accrue from the alteration.
Present Procedure.
The Present procedure of levying a half-year's rate is as follows :—
December and ... Borough Council Committees consider their estimate of
January requirements for ensuing financial year.
February ... Finance Committee and the Council consider such estimate
and fix local requirements.