PARISH COUNCILLORS (TENURE OF OFFICE) BILL (SECOND READING). (Hansard, 8 May 1899)

§ LORD RIBBLESDALE

My Lords, I hope you will be willing to give a Second Reading to this very short and simple Bill. It enjoyed a quiet and cheerful passage through the other House of Parliament, and received the approval of the Secretary of the Local Government Board. Although it is short and simple, it introduces a very radical change in the position of a Parish Councillor, as it alters his tenure of office from one year to three years. By the first Clause of the Bill the tenure becomes three years, the same as that enjoyed by members of other local authorities—District and County Councils, and School Boards. The operation of the Bill begins in 1901, and on the 15th day of April. That date is fixed so as to make the new tenure of the Parish Councillor coterminous with the tenure of office of the District Councillor. At present the Parish Councils elections are held in March. So much for the practical effect of this Bill. I had better, perhaps, say a word or two as to its good qualities. In the first place, by bringing the Parish Council elections into harmony with the District Council elections, there will be a saving of expense and of machinery. On this particular point of expense I might mention that in a South Devon parish the Parish Council was limited to spend only £13 in its year of office, but this particular Parish Council, no doubt perfectly conscientiously, spent £7 2s. 6d. out of its total assets on a poll, which only left them a little over £5 for carrying on such improvements in the village as might have appeared desirable. Another advantage I claim is that under this Bill you get more continuity into the work of the Parish Council, and I think you would also get this other advantage, that Parish Councillors would be encouraged to make themselves acquainted with the Act. If a man is only elected 17 for a year, he naturally does not take so much trouble as he would if he was elected for three years to make himself acquainted with the duties of the Parish Council. Under the present system, with the elections in March, and the Parish Council not taking up its work till well on in April, the Parish Council may be said to go into winter quarters early in February, because the outgoing Parish Council does not care very much about initiating any new work. Another advantage is that in some districts the turmoil of annual elections will be got rid of. Nervous and irritable people may be more inclined to come forward as Parish Councillors if they know they will not have to expose themselves to the excitement of an election more than once in three years. I hope you will pass the Bill into law just as it stands. Its provisions seem to me to be worded in good plain Queen's language. I believe it to be a straight-forward, practical, and valuable measure.