Local Government - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition local-government

Definition :

Local Government. That part of the government of the country which, by delegation from the Imperial Government, is conducted the bodies appointed or elected to conduct it within limited areas, as parishes, boroughs, local government districts, poor law unions, petty sessional districts, county boroughs, and counties. See these titles respectively, and COUNTY COUNCIL; DISTRICT COUNCIL; PARISH COUNCIL; and BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Local Government Act, 1888 (51 & 52 Vict. c. 41). The Act established county councils throughout England and Wales, and has been amended and extended by many other Acts.

Transfer of Imperial Powers to County Councils.--The (English) Local Government (Transfer of Powers) Act, 1903 (3 Edw. 7, c. 15), though permissive only, extended general, tentative, unsued and almost unknown powers of decentralization which had previously been entrusted to the Local Government Board by the (English) Local Government Act, 1888. The (English) Local Government Act, 1894 (56 & 57 Vict. c. 73). This Act established throughout England and Wales a parish meeting for every rural parish, a parish council for every rural parish having a population of 300 or upwards, and district councils. The (English) Local Government Act, 1929 (19 & 20 Geo. 5, c. 17), ss. 1 and 134, abolished guardians of the poor and other poor law authorities, and substituted county councils and county borough councils in their stead.

The (English) Local Government Act, 1933 (23 & 24 Geo. 5, c. 51), consolidates with amendments many of the enactments relating to the constitution and powers of local authorities in England and Wales. The Act as a whole does not apply to London, except certain provisions of Part III., Part X., Part XI. Schedule I. contains a list of administrative counties, county boroughs, and non-county boroughs. The Parts of the Act are as follows:-

Part I. Constitution and Elections.

Part II. General Provisions as to Members and Meetings of Local Authorities and Elections.

Part III. Committees and Joint Committees.

Part IV. Officers.

Part V. Offices and Buildings.

Part VI. Alteration of Areas.

Part VII. Acquisition of, and Dealings in, Land.

Part VIII. County Councils.

Part IX. Borrowing.

Part X. Accounts and Audit.

Part XI. Local Financial Returns.

Part XII. Bye-laws.

Part XIII. Promotion of, and Opposition to, Local or Personal Bills by Local Authorities.

Part XIV. Freemen.

Part XV. General Provisions.

There are also eleven schedules. [Local Government Act, 1933 (23 & 24 Geo. 5, c. 51].