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85
that they had been in communication with the Metropolitan Water
Board, and, in view of the Board's proposals for 1931-32, they had
decided to withdraw their Bill.)
London County Council (General Powers) Bill.
This Bill is divided into nine parts. The first part is introductory; the
second part relates to the acquisition of land by the County Council in the City
of Westminster; Part 3 relates to the acquisition of land by the Kensington
Borough Council for street widenings; Part 4 relates to the amendment of Stepney
Borough Council (Superannuation) Acts, 1905 and 1930; Part 5 relates to the
union of Parishes in the Metropolitan Borough of Holborn; Part 6 relates to the
arrangements between the County Council and the Beckenham Urban Council
with respect to main drainage; Part 7 relates to the erection of buildings and the
imposition of conditions for traffic facilities; Part 8 provides extension of time
for subway improvements authorised by the General Powers Act of 1928; and
Part 9 contains miscellaneous items.
I direct the attention of the Council to the following clauses:—
Clauses 45-50 (Part VII). These Clauses affect certain classes of buildings,
namely : Theatres and music-halls, cinemas, high buildings, of which the upper
storey is more than fifty feet from the level of the footway and buildings in which
there is sleeping accommodation for more than twenty persons.
Any person who proposes to erect, construct or adapt any house or other
premises intended to be used for the purposes above mentioned, shall previously
submit plans in triplicate to the County Council. The applicant must state
the purposes for which the premises are intended to be used and the greatest
number of persons who may reasonably be expected to be present at any one
time.
The County Council may, within one month, impose conditions (after consulting
the Minister of Transport and the Borough Council concerned) and may
disapprove or approve the plans subject to conditions as to the construction,
adaptation, setting back or other alteration of the structural arrangements and
means of egress and ingress shown on the plan, and the provision of additional or
substituted structural arrangements so as (as far as reasonably practicable) to
prevent congestion or increased congestion of traffic in any street to which access
is to be afforded from the building in question. The County Council within the
same month are to give to the applicant notice of refusal or conditional approval,
with reasons, and in default are to be deemed to have approved the plans, etc.,
without conditions. (This month is extended to two months during the
summer holidays.)
Provision is made for appeal to the Tribunal of Appeal constituted by Section
196 of the London Building Act.
Clause 53 (Part IX). This Clause proposes to extend to London the provisions
of Section 59 of the Rating and Valuation Act, 1925 (which does not apply to
London), relating to the service of demand notes and other documents. Section 59
sets out very fully the methods to be adopted in serving demand notes, etc.
Clause 57 (Part IX). This Clause provides that Section 183 of the Metropolis
Management Act, 1855, shall be construed so as to allow Metropolitan Borough
Councils to borrow money for the provision of register offices for the purposes
of the Births and Deaths Registration Acts and the Marriage Acts.
The provisions of Clauses 53 and 57 have been inserted following the representations
made by the Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint Committee.
(Since the date of this Report, this Bill has received the Royal
Assent.)