The Local Government Board (LGB) was a British Government supervisory body overseeing local administration in England and Wales from 1871 to 1919.

The LGB was created by the Local Government Board Act 1871 (34 & 35 Vict. c. 70) and took over the public health and local government responsibilities of the Home Secretary and the Privy Council and all the functions of the Poor Law Board, which was abolished.

In 1919 the LGB was converted into a new department called the Ministry of Health.

Membership

The board was headed by a president, appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the British monarch. The president was permitted to hold a seat and vote in the House of Commons, and the position was generally held by a cabinet minister.

In addition the board had a number of ex officio members consisting of the Lord President of the Council, the Principal Secretaries of State, the Lord Privy Seal and the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Powers and duties

The purpose of the LGB was stated to be "the supervision of the laws relating to the public health, the relief of the poor, and local government". The act establishing the board listed the duties transferred from existing authorities under various acts of parliament:

  • Transferred from the Home Office:
  • Registration of births, deaths, and marriages (Births and Deaths Registration Act 1836, Births and Deaths Registration Act 1837)
  • Public health (Public Health Act 1848)
  • Local government (Local Government Act 1858, Local Government Act (1858) Amendment Act 1861, Local Government Amendment Act 1863)
  • Drainage and sanitary matters (Sewage Utilization Act 1865, Sanitary Act 1866, Sewage Utilization Act 1867, Sanitary Act 1868, Sanitary Loans Act 1869)
  • Baths and wash-houses (Baths and Washhouses Act 1846, Baths and Washhouses Act 1847)
  • Public improvements (Public Improvements Act 1860)
  • Towns improvement (Towns Improvement Clauses Act 1847)
  • Artisans and labourers' dwellings (Artizans and Labourers Dwellings Act 1868 (31 & 32 Vict. c. 130))
  • Returns of local taxation (Local Taxation Returns Act 1861)
  • Transferred from the Privy Council:
  • Prevention of Disease (Public Health Act 1848, Diseases Prevention Act 1855, Public Health Act 1858, Public Health Act 1859, Nuisances Removal Act 1860, Sanitary Act 1866, Sanitary Act 1868)
  • Vaccination (Vaccination Act 1867)
  • Transferred from the Poor Law Board
  • All powers and duties vested in or imposed on the Poor Law Board by the several acts of Parliament relating to the relief of the poor.

In 1872 the board received further responsibilities, when the Home Office transferred administration of the Turnpike and Highway Acts, Metropolitan Water Act 1852 and the Alkali Act 1863 to the LGB.

See also

  • Local Government Board for Scotland, a similar body in Scotland from 1894 – 1919
  • Local Government Board for Ireland, established in 1872 and abolished in 1922.

Notes

References

  • Local Government Board Act 1871 (34 & 35 Vict. c. 70)
  • Ministry of Health Act 1919 (9 & 10 Geo. 5. c. 19)