Public Health Act 1875

299 Proceedings on complaint to Board of default of local authority.

Where complaint is made to the Local Government Board that a local authority has made default in providing their district with sufficient sewers, or in the maintenance of existing sewers, or in providing their district with a supply of water, in cases where danger arises to the health of the inhabitants from the insufficiency or unwholesomeness of the existing supply of water, and a proper supply can be got at a reasonable cost, or that a local authority has made default in enforcing any provisions of this Act which it is their duty to enforce, the Local Government Board, if satisfied, after due inquiry, that the authority has been guilty of the alleged default, shall make an order limiting a time for the performance of their duty in the matter of such complaint. If such duty is not performed by the time limited in the order, such order may be enforced by writ of Mandamus, or the Local Government Board may appoint some person to perform such duty, and shall by order direct that the expenses of performing the same, together with a reasonable remuneration to the person appointed for superintending such performance, and amounting to a sum specified in the order, together with the costs of the proceedings, shall be paid by the authority in default ; and any order made for the payment of such expenses and costs may be removed into the Court of Queen's Bench, and be enforced in the same manner as if the same were an order of such Court.

Any person appointed under this section to perform the duty of a defaulting local authority shall, in the performance and for the purposes of such duty, be invested with all the powers of such authority other than (save as herein-after provided) the powers of levying rates ; and the Local Government Board may from time to time by order change any person so appointed.