London Government Act 1963

78 Coroners

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, the enactments relating to coroners, and in particular the Coroners Act 1844 and the Coroners Acts 1887 to 1954, shall apply in relation to Greater London (exclusive of the City and the Temples) as if that area were a county and the Greater London Council were the council of that county, and references in those enactments to a county alderman or a county councillor shall be construed accordingly.

(2) In their application to the said area of Greater London, the said enactments shall have effect subject to the following modifications:—

(a) the requirements as to residence contained in section 5 of the Coroners Act 1844 shall not apply;

(b) any sum required by section 27(2) of the Coroners Act 1887 to be paid out of the local rate and any salary or pension required by section 8 of the Coroners (Amendment) Act 1926 to be defrayed as expenses for special county purposes, shall in the first instance be defrayed by the Greater London Council and shall be charged on the London boroughs ;

(c) any provision of the said enactments defining a county shall not apply.

(3) The Greater London Council may provide and maintain proper accommodation for the holding of inquests.

(4) It shall be the duty of the Greater London Council as respects the area of Greater London mentioned in subsection (1) of this section, and of the council of each county adjoining Greater London as respects their county review area, to take into consideration the division of that area into coroners' districts and, unless they consider it inexpedient to do so, to exercise before the end of 1964 the power conferred on them by section 12 of the Coroners (Amendment) Act 1926 of submitting a draft order providing for the division, or alteration of any division, of that area into coroners' districts; and the Greater London Council shall not later than 1st April 1965 appoint a sufficient number of coroners for the said area of Greater London and section 2 of the said Act of 1926 shall apply to any such appointment as if a vacancy had occurred in the office of coroner for that area.

(5) This section, except so far as it relates to the appointment of coroners and to coroners' districts, shall not come into force until 1st April 1965 ; and until that date the fact that any powers relating to the appointment of coroners and coroners' districts are exercisable by the Greater London Council shall not prevent the exercise of the like powers by the authorities by whom they were exercisable immediately before the passing of this Act.