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 (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.
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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. The ex officio members were not paid a salary. The board itself seldom met, with policy being decided by the president of the board. He was assisted by a Parliamentary Secretary (also a member of the Commons), and a permanent secretary (a civil servant). The practical work of the LGB was carried out by its salaried officers.[1]
The Local Government Board was permitted to appoint such secretaries, assistant secretaries, inspectors, auditors, clerks, messengers, "and other officers" as they deemed fit, subject to the approval of the treasury. Salaries paid to officers were required to be confirmed by parliament. On the formation of the LGB, the existing staff of the Poor Law Board, the Local Government Act Office and the Medical Department of the Privy Council were transferred to the new body.[2]
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:
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.[2]
The LGB carried its work in the following ways:[2]
The board was empowered to make general orders and regulations enforcing the various stautes for which it was responsible. These orders and regulations had the same force of law as those made by a secretary of state.
The LGB had broad powers of regulation of the bodies under its control. The board's inspectors were able to visit local authorities and ensure that they were performing satisfactorily. They could also act as a medium for resolving disputes between local bodies and ratepayers or other interests.
The board possessed quasi-judicial powers, being able to make legally binding decisions on the bodies under its supervision. Examples included the changing of boundaries, raising of loans or the taking on of additional powers. These provisional orders were subject to confirmation by parliament.
The board compiled and published financial summaries for each local authority annually. It also appointed district auditors and supplied such statistics as might be required by parliament.
The Ministry of Health Act 1919 abolished the Local Government Board, and all of its powers and duties were transferred to the new ministry, which also combined the duties of the Insurance Commissioners, the Welsh Insurance Commissioners, the medical duties of the Board of Education, the duties of the Privy Council under the Midwives Acts and the powers of the Home Secretary in relation to the Children Act 1908.
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