trent federation trent amalgamation towns trent single county borough trent history english local government union type event place 1960s federation culmination process urban growth municipal change started early 19th century little interaction separate settlements occurred 18th century pottery industry began expand rapidly early 19th century initial steps ensure greater operation towns issue law order county plan attempts form towns county borough following act parliament county system created administrative county wishing remain independent towns discussed uniting form separate county apparent fail proposal revised uniting towns county borough plan failed corporation agree location future administrative centre instead gained county borough status towns meet criteria designation federation attempt resurrection county plan led attempts form expanded county borough disagreement complex financial issues rates assets loans caused pull quickly followed proposal abandoned second final federation process instigated support opposition issues arose financial settlement discussions continued progress federation bill parliament bill passed house_of_commons debate house_of_lords towns announced come agreement passed december act came force march new trent county borough addition city status granted trent king george july background early 19th century towns eventually trent trent established settlements despite occupying small geographic area based pottery industry little political social operation prior 19th century local government remained largely based systems use middle ages towns led having varying forms government manor manor parish failing regimes lapse court long process federation began earliest changes seen market act gave statutory control market board trustees outside control improvement act respectively gave board commissioners control lighting ability levy rates purposes important steps directed form operation towns early proposals operation tentative step operation taken meeting future joint public meetings called head settlements held instance greater law order little interest forms operation apart establishment boards commissioners changes occurred 1830s passing reform act sparked renewed interest incorporation act created parliamentary borough trent elect members parliament trent parliamentary borough comprised lane end hamlet significance act time important reason election members parliament effectively shortly reform act came effect municipal corporations bill introduced proposed new parliamentary granted charters incorporation bill failed parliament excluded reforms later municipal corporations act interest incorporation sufficient meetings subject place reported meeting incorporation lead town having influence theme years meeting revisited topic raised pre promotion law order called appointment magistrate years later people voted favour incorporation borough meetings came incorporation reiterated calls appointment magistrate later year better meeting chaired duke calls heard acts parliament passed justice act legislation created boards commissioners powers given acts following amendments local justice discussion operation federation subdued decades county plan changes local government saw end systems trent formed borough trent borough borough borough boards commissioners superseded local boards health introduction local government bill march caused debate position towns proposed council structure bill proposed creation county councils england wales granting county borough status towns population exceeding county borough status allow places govern independently county council consensus coming control idea developed seeking county right accordingly proposal submitted july creation county july proposed amend bill reduce population requirement county borough status adopted allow county borough right rest towns come control july captain north west moved amendment bill district comprising municipal trent urban district urban district towns comprising pottery district formed county response president proposed matter resolved way provisional order bill parliamentary session undertake introduce bill supported amendment accepted assurance bound protect interests moved added proposed list county bill surrender right county borough county right hope matter resolved way provisional order bill amendments withdrawn bill received august listed places granted county borough status corporation months best proceed february opted county borough status effectively killing county proposal county borough proposal corporation decision recorded reported february insisted administrative centre new county agree following year proposed formation county borough comprising proposal came federation proposal december proposed meeting view federal action issued newcastle urban districts rural districts parishes invited meeting took place february resolved desirable interests form federation local authorities indicating preference implementation county plan legal opinion sought suggested county plan unlikely succeed viable proposition expand county borough include towns accordingly march representatives urban districts met agreed unanimously principle federation pottery towns constitution county borough adopted subject resolutions passed authority preservation respective interests council formal proposal expansion include parishes stone supported idea concurrently sir secretary presented towns committee scheme financial adjustment proposal net assets town calculated outstanding debts values properties proportion town needed contribute overall value county borough calculated value net assets contributed town proportion calculated town overall sum town need set higher general rate paid town conversely towns contributing value net assets greater proportion overall sum able set lower general rate towns awaited report implications owen proposal immediately decided impose financial district net assets district higher rate set district council accept withdrew discussions federation july report increased opposition idea federation poll came strongly federation withdrew scheme followed shortly faced strong opposition felt compelled withdraw submission bringing attempt federation twentieth century unsuccessful conclusion second federation proposal conference local authorities held delegates raised issue confederation proposal received amended suggestion grounds education matters common interest desirable parliamentary borough trent formed municipal borough basis authorities concerned invited subject consideration time parliamentary borough trent meant town council favour voters voted overwhelmingly proposal despite setback submitted proposal early local inquiry held soon reported quickly april informed councils proposed scheme sufficiently comprehensive suggested holding conference towns discuss complete proposal meeting took place july addressed president called number local conferences agree scheme federation towns duly held council refused participate clear proposal support electorate high turnout cent voters delivered vote federation described events surrounding poll unprecedented proponents opponents chiefly making effort ensure supporters voted indication strength feeling interest proposal events surrounding federation proposal background setting author contemporary novel opposing federation left submit proposals ruled submission met statutory formal requirements form basis subsequent local inquiry held january inquiry opened poll conducted town showed favour federation council voted federation decided oppose support federation instead achieve best deal town day inquiry opened january chaired major officer appointment caused controversy delegation walking day protesting declared favour federation disrupt hearing left opposed plan neutral favour bulk inquiry examined rating schemes based largely owen proposals previous federation attempt february weeks inquiry closed issued draft provisional bill federation towns unexpected rating scheme proposed differed schemes discussed inquiry included complicated properties belonging municipality towns wished carry supported draft order opposed draft order issued process moved london bill introduced house_of_commons july private bills chaired sir bill received reading july undergone significant amendment passage house_of_commons notably introduction complex differential rating system period years interested parties pleased proposal differential system welcomed period years preferred complicated required public assets proving unpopular result withdrew support order leaving promote bill house_of_lords council particularly favour financial settlement felt honour bound promote bill having initial scheme petitions bill submitted house_of_lords county council councils individual assigned deal bill chaired lord sat november december sessions committee declared important decisions reaffirmed federation benefit people differential rating system fixed period required asset town abandoned committee reserved right decide course action parties able reach agreement point important disputes passed house_of_commons current parliament horizon led delays passage bill parliament parliamentary session december week committee announcement towns informed committee agreement reached differential rating system years settled assets undertaken town responsible outstanding loans december point committee bill according terms agreed towns passed house_of_lords december returned house_of_commons bill passed day received december confirmation act came force march new council consisting representing new council actions voted mayor county borough trent previously appointed acting mayor primarily act returning officer municipal elections bias town halls council held inaugural meeting july county borough trent city trent letters patent king george dated june explanatory notes
Federation of Stoke-on-Trent