Collection MCC/CL/LG - CLERK'S DEPARTMENT: LOCAL GOVERNMENT

5.33 linear metres

MCC/CL/LG 1956-1965 Collection 5.33 linear metres MCC , Middlesex County Council x Middlesex County Council

In 1889 County Council policy was directed by 72 members and administered under the leadership of Sir Richard Nicolson, Clerk of the County Council, and a handful of staff. The number of members had risen to 116 by 1952 and by 1965 the County staff numbered some 32,000, of whom 2,000 head office staff occupied the Guildhall and five other offices in Westminster. This indicates the tremendous increase in administrative work under successive Clerks of the County Council.

In the years between the two wars a semi-rural county became an almost completely urbanised area. The introduction of new legislation made ever increased demands upon members of the administrative staff, involving in later years monthly meetings of some 50 committees and sub-committees.

In 1957 the Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London was set up under the chairmanship of Sir Edwin Herbert. Their terms of reference were 'to examine the present system and working of local government in the area' and 'to recommend whether any, and if so what, changes in the local government structure and the distribution of local authority functions in the area, or any part of it, would better secure effective and convenient local government'. After nearly three years consideration of these issues the Commission reported in 1960, recommending a radical reorganisation of London's and Middlesex's local government. All existing local authorities except the City of London Corporation were to be abolished, a council for Greater London (including most of Middlesex, now largely part of the urban sprawl of London) was to be established, and new boroughs were to be created, each within a population range of 100,000 to 250,000. The councils of these new boroughs were to be the primary units of local government and to have the most normal local government functions, including housing, personal health, welfare and children's services, environmental health, roads other than main roads, libraries and functions in relation to education and planning. The council for Greater London was to have certain functions of education and planning, and be the authority for traffic, main roads, refuse disposal, fire and ambulance services; as well as having supplementary powers for housing, parks, entertainments, sewerage and land drainage. When the Bill for the Local Government Act, 1963, based on the Royal Commission report, was introduced into Parliament it was met with considerable opposition. Some amendments were passed, but the Bill was passed into law without major alterations.

Acquired with the records of its parent authority, the Middlesex County Council, and with successor authorities.

Records of the Middlesex County Council Clerk's Department relating to the Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London, 1956-1965, including evidence submitted to the Commission by the MCC; papers relating to the implementation of the reorganisation of local government functions; papers relating to the hand-over of functions to the Greater London Council (GLC) and press cuttings relating to the reorganisation of local government.

MCC/CL/LG/01: Royal Commission on Local Government Reorganisation.

Available for general access.

Copyright to these records rests with the Corporation of London.
English

Fit

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

For further information on the history of the Middlesex County Council please see Middlesex by Sir Clifford Radcliffe (2 editions, 1939 and 1953), LMA Library reference 97.09 MID; and The County Council of the Administrative County of Middlesex: 76 years of local government, 1 April 1889 to 31 March 1965, by Middlesex County Council (1965), LMA library reference S97.09 MID.

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. April to June 2009 Government reorganization Organisation and management Administration Administrative structure Commissions (organizations) Royal commissions Law Legislation Local government legislation Government Public administration Local government Local authorities MCC , Middlesex County Council x Middlesex County Council Clerk's Department , Middlesex County Council London England UK Western Europe Middlesex Europe

Acquired with the records of its parent authority, the Middlesex County Council, and with successor authorities.

Records of the Middlesex County Council Clerk's Department relating to the Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London, 1956-1965, including evidence submitted to the Commission by the MCC; papers relating to the implementation of the reorganisation of local government functions; papers relating to the hand-over of functions to the Greater London Council (GLC) and press cuttings relating to the reorganisation of local government.

MCC/CL/LG/01: Royal Commission on Local Government Reorganisation.

Available for general access.

Copyright to these records rests with the Corporation of London.

• anglais

• latin

English

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

• anglais