Local Government Act

Local Government Act (1898), one of a number of reforming measures introduced by Gerald Balfour when chief secretary (see constructive unionism). The act swept away the existing system of county government whereby grand juries looked after the local infrastructure while poor law boards administered welfare services and acted as rural sanitary authorities. Modelled on the English Reform Act of 1888, the act introduced a two‐tier system of democratically elected county and district councils. Rural district councillors served also as poor law guardians. In urban areas municipal corporations and town councils were retained, together with separate poor law boards. The Local Government Board was given the task of supervising the activities of councils, and its approval was required for many of their acts, including appointments and dismissals. All councillors and poor law guardians were elected on a parliamentary franchise, with the addition of women and peers. Following vigorous lobbying by women's organizations women obtained the right to stand for election as district councillors, though not, until 1911, as county councillors. (Some 30 women were returned as district councillors in 1899.) One of the most important effects of the act was to substitute nationalist‐dominated councils for unionist‐dominated grand juries, and significantly to reduce unionist representation on boards of guardians.

Virginia Crossman