Public Health Act 1875

286 Districts may be united for appointing a medical officer of health.

Where it appears to the Local Government Board, on any representation made to it, that the appointment of a medical officer of health for two more districts situated wholly or partially in the same county would diminish expense, or otherwise be for the advantage of such districts, the Local Government Board may by order unite such districts for the purpose of appointing a medical officer of health, and may make regulations as to the mode of his appointment and removal by representatives of the authorities of the constituent districts, and as to the meetings from time to time of such representatives, and the proportion in which the expenses of the appointment and of the salary and expenses of such officer are to be borne by such authorities, and as to any other matters (including the necessary expenses of such representatives) which, in the opinion of the said Board, require regulation for the purposes of this section ; and no other medical officer of health shall be appointed for any constituent district, except as an assistant to the officer appointed for the united districts :

Provided that no urban district containing a population of twenty-five thousand and upwards, or (in the case of a borough) having a separate court of quarter sessions, shall be included in any union of districts formed under this section without the consent of the local authority of such district or borough.

Not less than twenty-eight days notice that it is proposed to make an order under this section shall be given by the Local Government Board to the local authority of any district proposed to be included in the union, and if within twenty-one days after such notice has been given to any such authority they give notice to the Local Government Board that they object to the proposal, the Local Government Board may include their district in the union by a provisional order but not otherwise.

There may be assigned by the Local Government Board to the district medical officer of any union comprising or coincident with any constituent district such duties in rendering local assistance to the medical officer of health appointed for the united districts as the said Board may think fit ; and such district medical officer shall receive, in respect of any duties so assigned to him, such additional remuneration to be paid by the local authority or authorities of the district or districts within which his duties under this section are performed as those authorities may, with the approval of the Local Government Board, determine.