Powers and duties London County Council

1 powers , duties

1.1 housing reform
1.2 street re-naming
1.3 world war ii era

powers , duties

the lcc inherited powers of predecessor mbw, had wider authority on matters such education, city planning , council housing. took on functions of london school board in 1903, , dr c w kimmins appointed chief inspector of education department in 1904.

from 1899 council progressively acquired , operated tramways in county, electrified 1903. 1933, when lcc tramways taken on london passenger transport board, largest tram operator in united kingdom, more 167 miles (269 km) of route , on 1,700 tramcars.

housing reform

one of lcc s important roles during late 19th , 20th century, in management of expanding city , re-development of growing slums. in victorian era, new housing had been intentionally urban , large-scale tenement buildings dominated. beginning in 1930s, lcc incentivised increase in more suburban housing styles. less-dense style of development, focusing on single family homes, popular among london housing developers because believed satisfy working classes , provide insurance, against bolshevism, quote 1 parliamentary secretary. lcc set standard new construction @ 12 houses per acre of land @ time when london areas had many 80 housing units per acre. passage of housing of working classes act in 1885 gave lcc power compel sale of land housing development, power vital systematic rehousing began under council s progressive leadership.

the totterdown fields development @ tooting first large suburban-style development built under lcc authority, in 1903, , followed developments @ roehampton, bellingham, , becontree. 1938, 76,877 units of housing had been built under auspices of lcc in city , periphery, astonishing number given previous pace of development. many of these new housing developments genuinely working-class, though poorest afford subsidised rents. relied on expanding london underground network ferried workers en masse places of employment in city center. these housing developments broadly successful, , resisted slummification blighted many victorian tenement developments. success of these commuter developments constructed lcc in periphery of city is, 1 of more remarkable achievements in london government, , contributed marked improvement of conditions between wars capital s working classes.

street re-naming

the lcc undertook between 1857 , 1929 standardise , clarify street names across london. many streets in different areas of city had similar or identical names, , rise of car primary mode of transportation in city made these names unworkable. in extreme case, there more 60 streets called cross street spread across city when lcc began process of systematic renaming. these given names approved list maintained lcc, containing suitably english names. if street names deemed un-english, slated change; zulu crescent in battersea, instance, became st. ann s terrace in 1912.

world war ii era

by 1939, council had following powers , duties:

† denotes power administered city of london corporation within city.