Metropolitan Board of Works

The Metropolitan Board of Works ( MBW; German Great Urban Committee on Public Works ) was a purpose association in London, which existed from 1855 to 1889. Main task of the MBW was in the then fragmented into many separate communities metropolitan area to plan infrastructure projects centrally and to build, to keep pace with the rapid growth step can. The representatives of the MBW were not elected, but appointed. The resulting lack of transparency was the main cause of late-stage pervasive corruption and the replacement of the MBW by the London County Council.

Background

With the construction of railways, the expansion of the metropolitan area had greatly accelerated since the 1830s. The local administrative structures of London were extremely complex; with hundreds of civilian communities, jurisdictions and specialized agencies whose members were elected only in the rarest cases. In a project that exceeded one or more borders, had to give their consent all participants.

Except in London were created in 1835 as part of a far-reaching administrative reform throughout the country Municipal Boroughs with elected representatives. The City of London - the heart of the sprawling metropolis - was excluded from the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 and successfully defended itself against all efforts einzugemeinden the mostly poorer neighboring districts. This meant that the metropolitan area continues to be on the field three counties. The area north of the Thames and west of the Lea was part of Middlesex, the south and south-west to Surrey, the extreme south-east to Kent.

1837, there were efforts to create an elected authority for the entire London conurbation, but the wealthy districts Marylebone and Westminster fought against and prevented the implementation. 1854 was proposed, London summarized in seven boroughs, the Metropolitan Board of Works as a central planning authority. The formation of the boroughs did not materialize, but the MBW was founded in 1855.

Establishment and organization

In order to have a legal basis for the creation of a special purpose association, the British Parliament passed the Metropolis Management Act 1855. The framework established by this Act MBW also took over the duties of the company founded in 1845 Metropolitan Buildings Office ( Authority for building regulations) and founded in 1848 Metropolitan Commission of sewers (Commission for sewer ). From the beginning of the MBW was no elected authority, but consisted of appointed representatives of the judicial districts ( vestries ). The larger judicial districts sent two representatives, the City of London three. In a few cases, the judicial districts covered too small an area, which is why they appointed a representative jointly with others. The Committee consisted of 45 members. At the first meeting of the MBW on December 22, 1855 John Thwaites was elected chairman.

The meetings of the MBW found first place in the Guildhall of the City of London, the administration was at the Greek Street in Soho. In 1859, then built a new office building in the Italian style in the Spring Gardens (near Trafalgar Square ). Designed it had Frederick Marrable, chief architect of the MBW. After the death of Chairman John Thwaites on August 8, 1870 James Macnaghten Hogg ( later Lord Magheramorne ) was elected to succeed him. Hogg remained until the dissolution of the MBW in office. In 1885, the number of MBW representatives was increased to 59.

Tasks

A major problem of the early days were the effluents were pumped directly into the Thames. Because the water came mainly from the river, broke regularly from cholera epidemics. In warm weather, the river stank, literally the sky. After the legendary " Great Stink" in the summer of 1858 the Parliament of the MBW to plan a comprehensive underground sewerage system and to build commissioned. In two decades, 135 km sewer main and 1,750 kilometers of sewage canals were built (see also: London's sewage system ) under the direction of chief engineer Joseph Bazalgette.

Other responsibilities of the MBW was the eviction of slums, so there new roads were built to relieve the traffic problems. The most important of these new roads were the main Charing Cross Road, Garrick Street, Northumberland Avenue, Shaftesbury Avenue and Southwark Street. As of 1869, the MBW acquired all private bridges over the Thames and abolished the toll. He also let the Putney Bridge, Battersea Bridge, Waterloo Bridge and Hammersmith Bridge rebuild.

Scandals

Despite the well known merits of the MBW enjoyed a low reputation among the population. His status as a special purpose association insulated the members from any influence of public opinion, even though all property owners had to pay an additional tax to finance the work of the MBW. The MBW had to assign a large number of works contracts. Many contractors who applied for this, therefore, to get a seat on the committee tried. In addition, the MBW precipitated comply with all decisions in secret. This led in the 1880s to numerous corruption scandals and setting up a commission of inquiry by the government.

The first scandal had its origins in 1879, when the MBW the old vaudeville theater " Pavilion " bought at Piccadilly Circus in order to build after its demolition Shaftesbury Avenue can. When the road was still in the early stages of development, the property was leased until further notice to the variety owner RE Villiers. In addition to the normal lease amount to the Committee Villiers secretly paid a bribe to FW Goddard, chief estimator of the MBW to achieve preferential treatment. 1883, the demolition of the building was only a matter of time. Villiers met with Goddard and Thomas James Robertson ( assistant surveyor ) to ensure that the rest of the property was transferred to him, in order to build a new " Pavilion " can. The IOM representative agreed to disagree when Villiers a corner of the property WW Grey would be left, so that there could run a pub. Grey was the brother of Robertson, although this was not apparent at this time.

In November 1884 Robertson Villiers announced that the time had come to present to the MBW a formal offer for the lease of the property. Villiers offered 2700 pounds of ground rent per year. The MBW instructed his chief architect, George Vulliamy, to evaluate the property. The frail Vulliamy gave virtually all the work to his subordinates Goddard and Robertson. They wrote a report, which laid down the value of the property at 3000 pounds per year. Villiers went immediately respond. The Committee approved the lease agreement after a short time, even though a rival bid was in the amount of 4000 pounds. The land was leased in two parts, the larger one for 2650 pounds, the western corner of 350 pounds. Goddard further conceded Extra payments of Villiers and the western corner was transferred to Grey, who sold his pub on the Tichborn Street and the profit of 10,000 pounds with Goddard and Robertson shared. Villiers sold the " Pavilion " in December 1886, Godard received from the proceeds of another 5,000 pounds.

More corruption cases

For years there had been vague hints that the Committee firms that applied for a works contract, to encouraged to engage members of the Committee as architects. Thus, the MBW Member James Ebenezer Saunders was appointed chief architect of the " Pavilion ". He took the same task in the building of the Grand Hotel and the Metropole Hotel at the Northumberland Avenue (both on land owned by the MBW ), but the actual work was done by others. Francis Hayman Fowler, who really could not complain about a lack of work, had accepted money from property owners and lessees under conditions which indicated clearly on bribery.

John Hebb, assistant architect of the Committee, was responsible among other things for the inspection of the security conditions in theaters. He wrote to the managers of those theaters where an inspection was imminent that they would do well to send him free tickets. Given the power of the Committee to be able to close the theater, gave way to most. The theater manager not particularly appreciated the inspections anyway and were angered by the corrupt behavior. So they sent Hebb tickets to places that were as far back in the hall or where the view was obscured on the stage through a column.

Commission of Inquiry

The Goddard Robertson scandal was revealed when the newspaper Financial News from October 25, 1886 published a series of articles about the various machinations. The Committee even held a totally inadequate investigation chaired by Hogg. The investigation came to the conclusion that Robertson had acted unlawfully when he made related to lease holders of the Committee, without informing the committee. However, the Committee had found nothing that would warrant a severe punishment.

The public was outraged and kept up the pressure. At the request of Randolph Churchill, in whose constituency Paddington South of resistance against the MBW was particularly large, the House of Commons decided on 16 February 1888 to set up a commission of inquiry. Led by Lord Herschell Commission came to the conclusion that the main allegations of financial news were true, were indeed an understatement. Even more scandals flew open, including the one to those architects who were members of the MBW. However, the Commission did not share the widespread opinion that the MBW was infested with corruption outright.

Resolution

While the Commission is still preparing its hearings, the committee responsible for the supervision of local government minister Charles Thomson Ritchie announced that were created as part of an administrative reform throughout the United Kingdom known as County Councils (county councils). Almost hidden in the bill had to include a clause that separated the area of the MBW of the counties of Surrey, Middlesex and Kent (later the County of London). This essentially corresponded to the wishes of the activists against the MBW, the already demanded an administrative reform.

The final weeks of the MBW was also his most infamous. On January 21, 1889, the London County Council ( LCC) was chosen, which was to begin on April 1. The MBW pushed off all long-term binding decisions to the LCC and began to pay generous pensions to resigning committee members and high wages to those employees who would work for the new authority. The MBW gave the Samaritan Hospital in Marylebone to use the permit, additional twelve feet of the sidewalk, which the LCC refused. The LCC wrote the MBW to take back the decision, but none of those responsible answer.

The MBW had received bids for the construction of the Blackwall Tunnel and decided to award the contract to his very last session. Re- wrote the LCC MBW to leave the decision of the successor agency. On March 18, 1889, the Chairman of the MBW wrote back that he was upholding his actions. The LCC turned directly to the government, then the MBW prematurely dissolved on 21 March 1889.

The building of the MBW was taken over by the London County Council. This then moved in 1922 to the County Hall. The old building was used as a branch of the LCC until the original, a hundred -year-long lease expired in 1958. Subsequently, the central government established there an office. Finally, the building was demolished in 1971 to make room for the new headquarters of the British Council.