TOW1T-COTINCIL is the governing body in a municipal corporation, elected by the rate-payers. The town-council administers the affairs of the borough in relation to its common property and to a variety of other matters, appointihg the several officers required for this purpose. It is also charged with important functions in regard to police and sanitary matters; and the tendency of recent legislation is to con centrate in the council all matters of local administration. For the more effect ual government of the community under its jurisdiction, the council is empowered to make by-laws, like local statutes, so far as not inconsistent with common law or pub lic statute, or the constitution of the borough. One-third of the council go out of office every year, but are eligible for re-election at the annual elections in November. In all the corporate or borough towns of England_ (except London and a few other places_ specially excluded from the municipal corporation act, 5 and 6 Will. IV. c. 76) the town council consists of the mayor, aldermen, and councilors. The councilors vary in number from 12 to 6-1, according to the population of the town; and one-third of the number are aldermen. Every burgess who is enrolled in the burgess-roll—i.e., every inhabitant householder (who has been for one year in respect of property, rated to the poor) in the borough, or within seven miles of the borough—is entitled to vote in the election. Sec BURGESS. The council elects the mayor, who continues in office for one year. The aldermen are elected from the councilors, or from persons qualified to he councilors. In the larger boroughs a person is not qualified to be a councilor unless he is worth £1000, or is rated for the support of the poor to the extent of £30 and upward; lint in the smaller boroughs. lie is qualified if worth .€500, or rated for the poor at £15.—In, Scotland, the town-council consists of the provost (in burghs which have a provost), bailies, treasurer, and common councilors, with the addition in Aberdeen, Dundee. and Perth, of the dean of guild, and in Edinbu•gh and Glasgow, of the dean of guild and convener of the trades. The election of councilors is regulated by3 and 4 Will. IV. c. 76. and other acts mentioned below, under which every person who pos sesses the qualification requisite for voting in the election of the member of parliament, and who has resided for• six months previous to .June 20 in or within seven miles of the royalty, is entitled to vote in the election of councilors. The persons entitled to be registered as parliamentary electors in burghs, are those who are of full age, and not subject to any legal incapacity„ and have been for not less than twelve calendar months next preceding the last clay of July, inhabitant occupiers, as owners or tenants, of any dwelling house within the borough, and have paid before June 20 all poor rates up to May 15; also lodgers occupying lodgings worth ten pounds. But no person can vote who is in receipt of poor relief, or is merely a joint occupier of a dwelling house. Every elector residing or carrying on business within the royalty is eligible as a coun cilor; and in burghs where burgesses exist, the person elected is made a burgess before induction. The number of councilors varies in different burghs. The larger burghs
are divided into wards or districts, each of which elects its proportion of councilors, as the smaller burghs do the whole council. The provost (in burghs which have a provost), bailies, treasurer, and other office-bearers fixed by the set or usage of each burgh, are elected by the councilors, the provost and treasurer holding office for three years, and the other office-bearers for the unexpired period of their councilorship. Vacancies in the magistracy or council are filled up ad interim by the remaining members of council— the person so elected retiring at the succeeding annual election. In burghs returning members to parliament, and all royal burghs, the election of members of council is reg ulated by 3 and 4 Will. IV. c. 76, 31 and 32 Vict. c. 108, 33 mid 34 Vict. c. 92, and the ballot act (1872), 35 and 36 Vict. c. 33. In those more ancient royal burghs which, on account of the smallness of the population, were exempted from the provisions of the 3 and 4 Will. IV. c. 76, the election of magistrates and councilors is conducted accord ing to ancient practice.
Previous to the municipal reform acts in the reign of William IV., town-councils were generally close corporations; the members elected their successors; business was conducted in private; and corrupt practices, with a variety of other abuses, prevailed. The ballot act, 1872, which applies to England, Scotland, and Ireland, leaving,.however, some slight variations in each kingdom, extended to contested municipal elections nearly all the enactments relating to the poll at parliamentary elections. In England the mayor is the returning officer, who is to provide everything required for the purpose of a poll. The ballot (q.v.) is the means provided for taking the poll, and minute directions are contained in the act for the carrying out this practice. In Scotland all municipal elec tions were directed by the ballot act (1872) to be conducted in the same manlier in all respects as under the practice applicable to the royal burghs mentioned in Schedule C of the act 3 and 4 Will. IV. c. 76—namely, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee, Perth, Dumfermline, Dumfries, and Inverness. Subject to this enactment, the poll at a contested municipal election is to be taken as in England. In Ireland the same act directs that the provisions at the English municipal elections act (1859) shall apply in relation to the nominations at Irish municipal elections; but in other respects the prac tice in taking the poll at a contested municipal election is to be the same as in England. Corrupt practices at municipal elections in England and Ireland are now inquired into by means of an election court presided over by a barrister, 35 and 36 Vict. c. 60. In England town-councils may, at the expense of the borough and local funds, promote and oppose bills in parliament for the public benefit, when sanctioned by special meetings, 35 and 36 Vict. c. 91.