Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London
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| Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London | |
|---|---|
| Name | Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London |
| Formed | 1957 |
| Dissolved | 1960 |
| Jurisdiction | Greater London |
| Chair | Sir Edwin Herbert |
| Type | Royal commission |
| Key documents | Report (1960) |
Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London was a statutory inquiry established to review local administration across Middlesex, Surrey, Kent, Essex, Hertfordshire and the County of London surrounding City of London and metropolitan London. The commission examined relationships among municipal corporations, London County Council, borough councils, and metropolitan bodies, producing a report that reshaped boundaries, authority, and service delivery across the capital area. Its findings influenced subsequent legislation and the administrative contours of modern Greater London.
Background and Establishment
Postwar developments around London Boroughs and suburban expansion prompted scrutiny of metropolitan governance following debates in the House of Commons, interventions by the Local Government Act 1888 framework, and pressures from county-level entities such as Middlesex County Council and Essex County Council. Concerns voiced by officials from Camden, Croydon, Harrow, Havering, Woolwich and urban districts like Ilford led to Cabinet consideration under Prime Minister Harold Macmillan and a decision to appoint a royal commission via instrument under the Crown to reconcile clashes among the London County Council, Metropolitan Police District, London Passenger Transport Board and suburban authorities. The commission’s establishment reflected precedents in inquiries such as the Royal Commission on Local Government in England (Redcliffe-Maud) and earlier provincial reviews like the Beveridge Report era restructuring.
Membership and Terms of Reference
Chaired by Sir Edwin Herbert with members drawn from legal, municipal, academic and civil service backgrounds including figures associated with Institute of Municipal Engineering, London School of Economics, University of Oxford, University of London, and the civil service apparatus of Whitehall. The terms directed examination of boundaries, distribution of functions such as planning, housing, and transport among entities including London County Council, county boroughs such as Southall, municipal boroughs like Watford, and small urban districts such as Hendon. The commission consulted statutes including the Local Government Act 1929, considered the status of City of London corporations, and weighed proposals akin to those advanced in reports by the Royal Commission on Metropolitan Police and commissions affecting the Metropolitan Asylums Board.
Evidence, Consultations and Visits
The commission received memoranda from over a hundred local authorities including Barnet, Bromley, Enfield, Greenwich, Harrow and Kingston upon Thames, and from statutory authorities such as the London Passenger Transport Board, British Transport Commission, Metropolitan Water Board, and the London Electricity Board. It held oral hearings attended by representatives of trade bodies like the Federation of British Industries, voluntary organisations exemplified by the National Housing Federation, and academic witnesses from King's College London and University College London. Field visits encompassed industrial sites in Croydon, docklands areas in Lewisham, suburban growth zones in Ilford, and civic centres in Wimbledon and Bexley, and consultations extended to national departments including the Ministry of Housing and Local Government and the Home Office.
Report and Recommendations
The commission published a comprehensive report recommending creation of a new administrative area delineated to incorporate core urban and suburban districts and to replace fragmented jurisdictions with strategic bodies responsible for transport, planning and major services. It proposed amalgamation of boroughs such as West Ham and East Ham and reallocation of powers similar to earlier models in Glasgow and Birmingham. Recommendations included an elected upper-tier authority for metropolitan-wide functions, strategic planning powers akin to those exercised by the South East Regional Planning Body, redefinition of policing boundaries affecting the Metropolitan Police Service, and proposals on water and sewerage functions referencing the Thames Conservancy. The report outlined transitional arrangements, finance mechanisms reflecting precedents in the Local Government Act 1933, and suggested names and electoral arrangements for proposed entities.
Political Response and Implementation
Reactions spanned cross-party debate in the House of Commons and in the House of Lords, with advocacy from local leaders in Hertfordshire and opposition from rural counties such as parts of Surrey and Kent. The Conservative Party and the Labour Party offered competing amendments during legislative transposition, and influential figures including members of the London County Council and leaders of the Association of Municipal Corporations engaged in lobbying. Implementation followed through statutes influenced by the commission’s framework, administrative orders, and local government boundary commissions; the debates paralleled earlier reforms under Anthony Eden and subsequent policy developments in the administrations of Harold Wilson. Some proposals were adopted directly, while others were modified via parliamentary committee stages and subordinate legislation.
Impact and Legacy
The commission’s influence persisted in the reconfiguration of metropolitan governance, shaping entities and practices in successor institutions such as the Greater London Council and later the London Boroughs system. Its recommendations informed debates leading to later reorganisations including those resulting from the Local Government Act 1972 and the evolution of strategic bodies like Transport for London and the Thames Water Authority. The report is cited in scholarly work from London School of Economics researchers and historians at King's College London and figures in case studies at Institute for Government and civic archives at the British Library and London Metropolitan Archives. Legacy issues—boundary alignment, metropolitan service coordination, and democratic representation—continue to reference the commission's work in discussions by entities such as the National Audit Office, Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and civic reform groups.