(1)The council of a county may agree to contribute towards the expenditure incurred, whether before or after the commencement of this Act, by the council of a district wholly or partly within the county in the provision or maintenance of any sewers or sewage disposal works, or of a supply of water, or in the improvement of an existing supply of water, such sums as appear to them to be reasonable having regard to the resources of the district and the circumstances of the case.
(2)The council of any district may at any time by agreement with the council of the county relinquish in favour of the council of the county any of their functions relating to public health upon such terms and subject to such conditions, if any, as may be specified in the agreement, and the relinquishment may be made either for a specified term, or pending the rescission or variation of the agreement, and any agreement made under this subsection may apply with such modifications and adaptations, if any, as may be agreed any of the provisions of this Act relating to the transfer of property and liabilities and the transfer, superannuation and compensation of officers.
A copy of an agreement made under this subsection shall forthwith be sent to the Minister.
(3)Where it appears to the Minister that the council of any district wholly or partly within a county have made default in providing their district or any part thereof with a sewerage system or sewage disposal works or an adequate supply of Water, or in discharging any other function relating to public health which it is their duty to discharge, the Minister may cause a local inquiry to be made into the matter, and—
(a)if after such inquiry the Minister is satisfied that there has been such default, he may make an order limiting a time for the discharge of the function by the council of the district; and
(b)if the function is not discharged by the time limited in the order, the Minister may by order transfer to the county council the function with respect to which default has been made either for a definite period or until he may otherwise direct, and the order may apply, with such modifications and adaptations, if any, as appear necessary or expedient, any of the provisions of this Act relating to the transfer, superannuation and compensation of officers and any of the provisions of section sixty-three of the Local Government Act, 1894.
(4)Sections two hundred and ninety-nine to three hundred and two of the Public Health Act, 1875, shall cease to have effect as respects district councils.