Local Government Act 1929

7 Guardians committees and sub-committees.

(1) In the case of a county the administrative scheme shall provide—

(a) for the division of the county into areas, each area consisting of one or more districts, and for the constitution for each such area of a local sub-committee of the public assistance committee (to be called the guardians committee of the area) consisting of not more than thirty-six nor less than twelve members :

(b) for each guardians committee consisting of—

(i) members for the time being of the council of the district, or of every district, comprised in the area, as the case may be, nominated by the council thereof;

(ii) members for the time being of the county council representing electoral divisions wholly or partly comprised in the area;

(iii) persons (not being elected members of the county council, and including women as well as men) appointed by the county council, so, however, that the number of persons so appointed shall not exceed one-third of the total number of members of the committee;

(c) for the discharge, subject to such general or special restrictions or conditions as the county council may from time to time impose, by each guardians committee or a sub-committee thereof of such of the functions transferred to the council under this Part of this Act as relate to the following matters—

(i) the consideration and examination of applications for relief;

(ii) the determination of the nature and amount of the relief, if any, to be given to such applicants;

(iii) the determination of the amount, if any, to be paid by any recipient of relief, or the persons liable for his maintenance, towards reimbursing the council the amount expended by them on his relief;

(iv) the visiting inspection or management, if the public assistance committee so request, of any poor law institutions in the area for which the guardians committee is appointed:

so, however, that the functions to be delegated under this subsection shall not include the appointment or dismissal of any officer :

Provided that upon representations made by the council of any county that special circumstances exist in that county or in any part thereof the Minister may, if he thinks fit, direct that the provisions of this section shall not apply as respects that county or part.

(2) Where a district is not wholly comprised within one county, the portion of the district situate within any county shall, for the purposes of the last preceding subsection, be treated as if it were a separate district.

(3) In appointing persons other than elected members of the county council to be members of any guardians committee a county council shall have regard to the desirability of including persons who are members of poor law authorities immediately before the appointed day and other persons of experience in the matters to be dealt with by the committee.

(4) The scheme shall provide for effective consultation between the public assistance committee and the guardians committee of any area upon business relating specially to that area, and in particular shall empower every guardians committee to nominate their chairman or other representative to be present at any meeting of the public assistance committee at which business specially relating to the area of the guardians committee is to be transacted. Any person so nominated shall be entitled to take part in the proceedings at any such meeting so far as they relate specially to the area of the guardians committee by whom he was nominated but not to vote.

(5) The scheme shall determine the place where a guardians committee shall sit, and any local authority shall allow a guardians committee or any sub-committee thereof to use free of charge for the purposes of their meetings, at any time when not required for the use of the local authority, any premises belonging to the authority.

(6) In the case of a county borough, the administrative scheme may provide for the appointment of sub-committees of the public assistance committee, consisting wholly or partly of members of the public assistance committee, and for the functions of any such sub-committee:

Provided that—

(a) a majority of the members of every subcommittee appointed under this subsection shall be members of the council; and

(b) where the scheme provides for the appointment as members of any such sub-committee of persons who are not members of the council, it shall provide for the inclusion of women as well as men, and regard shall be had to the desirability of including persons who are members of poor law authorities immediately before the appointed day and other persons of experience in the matters delegated or referred to the sub-committee.