Local Government Act 1888

108 Power of Local Government Board to remedy defects.

(1) If from any cause there is no returning officer able to act in any county at the first election of a county council, or no register of electors properly made up, or no proper election takes place, or an election of an insufficient number of persons takes place, or any difficulty arises as respects the holding of the first election of county councillors, or as to the first meeting of a provisional council, the Local Government Board may by order appoint a returning officer or other officer, and do any matter or thing which appears . to them necessary for the proper holding of the first election, and for the proper holding of the first meeting of the provisional council, and may, if it appears to them necessary, direct a new election to be held, and fix the dates requisite for such new election. Any such order may modify the provisions of this Act and the enactments applied by this Act so far as may appear to the Board necessary for the proper holding of the first election and first meeting of the provisional council.

(2) The Local Government Board in the case of the first election may also authorise an electoral division to return two Or more members, in any case where the difficulties arising out of the registers of voters and the population of any area appear to render it necessary, and may also authorise portions of two or more county districts, or wards for which a separate register can be made, to be united for the purpose of an electoral division.

(3) The Local Government Board, on the application of a county council or provisional council, may within six months after the day fixed for the first election of the councillors of such council, from time to time, make such orders as appear to them necessary for bringing this Act into full operation as respects the council so applying, and such orders may modify any enactment in this or any other Act, whether general or local and personal, so far as may appear to the Board necessary for the said purpose.

(4) The Local Government Board may also, if satisfied that an election cannot properly be held for any county council by reason of the electoral divisions not having been duly made, cause such steps to be taken as they consider necessary for constituting such electoral divisions and making up the registers of electors.