Commissioner of Supply

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Commissioners of Supply were local administrative bodies in Scotland from 1667 to 1930. Originally established in each sheriffdom to collect tax, they later took on much of the responsibility for the local government of the counties of Scotland. In 1890 they ceded most of their duties to the county councils created by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889. They were finally abolished in 1930.

Scotland Country in Europe, part of the United Kingdom

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Sharing a border with England to the southeast, Scotland is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, by the North Sea to the northeast and by the Irish Sea to the south. In addition to the mainland, situated on the northern third of the island of Great Britain, Scotland has over 790 islands, including the Northern Isles and the Hebrides.

A sheriffdom is a judicial district in Scotland, led by a sheriff principal. Since 1 January 1975, there have been six sheriffdoms. Each sheriffdom is divided in to a series of sheriff court districts, each sheriff court is presided over a resident or floating sheriff Sheriffs principal and sheriffs are all members of the judiciary of Scotland.

Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889

The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which was passed on 26 August 1889. The main effect of the Act was to establish elected county councils in Scotland. In this it followed the pattern introduced in England and Wales by the Local Government Act 1888.

Contents

Creation

The Parliament of Scotland passed legislation creating Commissioners of Supply for each of the shires or sheriffdoms in 1667. The act specified that the commissioners for each sheriffdom should consist partly of ex officio members: all privy councillors and senators of the College of Justice "within the severall respective shyres wher any part of ther lands and estates doeth ly", and partly of nominated members: a number of named prominent landowners in each shire. [1] The commissioners had the duty of ensuring the collection of "cess" or land tax to supply the financial needs of the sovereign. A total of 72,000 pounds was to be raised monthly throughout Scotland, with each sheriffdom responsible for a set sum. This ranged from 33,183 pounds and 8 shillings in Midlothian to 352 pounds, 7 shillings and 3 pence in Clackmannanshire. [1] The royal burghs lying within each sheriffdom were not subject to the commissioners, the cess being collected by the burgh magistrates. [1]

Parliament of Scotland legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland

The Parliament of Scotland was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland. The parliament, like other such institutions, evolved during the Middle Ages from the king's council of bishops and earls. It is first identifiable as a parliament in 1235, during the reign of Alexander II, when it was described as a "colloquium" and already possessed a political and judicial role. By the early fourteenth century, the attendance of knights and freeholders had become important, and from 1326 commissioners from the burghs attended. Consisting of the "three estates" of clergy, nobility and the burghs sitting in a single chamber, the parliament gave consent for the raising of taxation and played an important role in the administration of justice, foreign policy, war, and all manner of other legislation. Parliamentary business was also carried out by "sister" institutions, such as General Councils or Convention of Estates. These could carry out much business also dealt with by parliament – taxation, legislation and policy-making – but lacked the ultimate authority of a full parliament.

The Privy Council of Scotland was a body that advised the monarch.

Senator of the College of Justice

The Senators of the College of Justice are judges of the College of Justice, a set of legal institutions involved in the administration of justice in Scotland. There are three types of Senator: Lords of Session ; Lords Commissioners of Justiciary ; and the Chairman of the Scottish Land Court. Whilst the High Court and Court of Session historically maintained separate judiciary, these are now one and the same, and the term, Senator, is almost exclusively used in referring to the judges of these courts.

In 1686 the commissioners took on their first local government functions. In that year an act was passed providing that the repair of highways and bridges should be the responsibility of "the several shires and burghs... within their respective bounds". The sheriff of each shire was given the power to compel the commissioners of supply and justices of the peace to convene and agree funding and allocation of labour for road repairs. [2]

Justice of the peace judicial officer, of a lower or puisne court, elected or appointed by means of a commission (letters patent) to keep the peace

A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or puisne court, elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the same meaning. Depending on the jurisdiction, such justices dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions. Justices of the peace are appointed or elected from the citizens of the jurisdiction in which they serve, and are usually not required to have any formal legal education in order to qualify for the office. Some jurisdictions have varying forms of training for JPs.

1707–1930

The commissioners continued to exist following the passing of the Act of Union in 1707. From 1718 they became responsible, along with justices of the peace, for county roads and bridges, and in 1832 they were charged with raising "rogue money" for the keeping of the peace. [3]

In many cases the commissioners appointed special constables for all or parts of their counties, and by the Police (Scotland) Act 1857 they were required to establish a county police force, in all areas outside police burghs, from 1858.

Police (Scotland) Act 1857

The Police (Scotland) Act 1857 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was one of the Police (Scotland) Acts 1857 to 1890. The legislation made the establishment of a police force mandatory in the counties of Scotland, and also allowed existing burgh police forces to be consolidated with a county force.

In 1862, the functions and property of the Commissioners of Highland Roads and Bridges were transferred to the Commissioners of Supply. [4]

The Commissioners of Highland Roads and Bridges was created in 1803 to take responsibility for the construction and maintenance of the long-distance roads in the Scottish Highlands.

In 1890 virtually all of the powers and duties of the commissioners passed to the newly created county councils. The commissioners continued to exist, however, meeting once a year to elect a convener and to appoint members to the Joint Standing Committee that was responsible for the county constabulary. The other members of the committee were nominated by the county council, and it was chaired by the sheriff of the county.

Commissioners of Supply were finally abolished in 1930 by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929.

Related Research Articles

A shire is a traditional term for a division of land, found in Great Britain, Australia and some other English-speaking countries. It was first used in Wessex from the beginning of Anglo-Saxon settlement, and spread to most of the rest of England in the tenth century. In some rural parts of Australia, a shire is a local government area; however, in Australia it is not synonymous with a "county", which is a lands administrative division.

Midlothian Council area of Scotland

Midlothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, UK. It borders Edinburgh, East Lothian and the Scottish Borders council areas.

West Lothian Council area of Scotland

West Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and one of its historic counties. The county, which was also known as Linlithgowshire, was bounded by the Avon to the west and the Almond to the east. The modern council area occupies a smaller area, with areas in the west transferred to Falkirk and areas in the east transferred to Edinburgh following local government reforms in the late 20th century. It did however gain areas from Midlothian.

Local government in Scotland is organised through 32 unitary authorities designated as councils which consist of councillors elected every five years by registered voters in each of the council areas.

Shires of Scotland historic administrative and geographical division of Scotland

The counties or shires of Scotland are geographic subdivisions of Scotland established in the Middle Ages. Originally established for judicial purposes, from the 17th century they started to be used for local administration purposes as well. The areas used for judicial functions (sheriffdoms) came to diverge from the shires, which ceased to be used for local government purposes after 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

Subdivisions of Scotland

For local government purposes, Scotland is divided into 32 areas designated as "council areas", which are all governed by single-tier authorities designated as "councils". They have the option under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1997 of being known as a "comhairle" when opting for a Gaelic name; only Comhairle nan Eilean Siar has chosen this option, whereas the Highland Council has adopted its Gaelic form alongside its English equivalent informally.

Berwickshire Historic county in Scotland

Berwickshire is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in the Scottish Borders. It takes its name from Berwick-upon-Tweed, which was part of Scotland at the time of the county's formation, but became part of England in 1482.

Kincardineshire Historic county in Scotland

Kincardineshire, also known as the Mearns, is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area on the coast of northeast Scotland. It is bounded by Aberdeenshire on the north and west, and by Angus on the south.

Stirlingshire Historic county in Scotland

Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling is a historic county and registration county of Scotland. Its county town is Stirling.

A police burgh was a Scottish burgh which had adopted a “police system” for governing the town. They existed from 1833 to 1975.

Renfrewshire (historic) lieutenancy area of Scotland

Renfrewshire or the County of Renfrew is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in the west central Lowlands of Scotland.

The History of local government in Scotland is a complex tale of largely ancient and long established Scottish political units being replaced after the mid 20th century by a frequently changing series of different local government arrangements.

Scottish Westminster constituencies were Scottish constituencies of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain, normally at the Palace of Westminster, from 1708 to 1801, and have been constituencies of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, also at Westminster, since 1801. Constituency boundaries have changed on various occasions, and are now subject to both periodical and ad hoc reviews of the Boundary Commission for Scotland.

Sir John Baird of Newbyth, Lord Newbyth (1620–1698), was a Scottish advocate, judge, politician and diplomat. He served as Commissioner for Aberdeenshire in the Parliament of Scotland.

Archibald Douglas 13th of Cavers was a Scottish politician. In 1701, prior to the Union of Scotland and England, Douglas had been able to return himself as one of Roxburghshire's four Commissioners to the Scottish Parliament. In his electoral capacity, he consistently opposed the Roxburghe interest both in the Scottish and British Parliaments. Repeated successes prompted his son William to remark with pardonable exaggeration in 1712 that "you have it in your hands to make the Member for the county."

A sheriffdom is a judicial district of Scotland. Originally identical to the Shires of Scotland, from the eighteenth century many counties were grouped to form "sheriffdoms".

Cockpen parish in Midlothian, Scotland

Cockpen is a parish in Midlothian, Scotland, containing at its north-west corner the town of Bonnyrigg, which lies two miles (3.2 km) south-west of Dalkeith. It is bounded on the west and north by the parish of Lasswade, on the east, by Newbattle and on the south by Carrington. It extends about three miles (4.8 km) from north to south and its greatest breadth is about ​2 1⁄2 miles.

The Sheriff of Edinburgh was historically the royal official responsible for enforcing law and order and bringing criminals to justice in Edinburgh, Scotland. Prior to 1748 most sheriffdoms were held on a hereditary basis. From that date, following the Jacobite uprising of 1745, they were replaced by salaried sheriff-deputes, qualified advocates who were members of the Scottish Bar.

References

  1. 1 2 3 The sheriffdoms listed were Edinburgh (i.e. Midlothian), Hadingtoun (i.e. East Lothian), Berwick, Roxburgh, Selkirk, Peebles, Lanerk, Dumfreize, "the sherifdome of Wigtoun and stewartrie of Kirkcudbright", Air, Dumbartan, Bute, Renfrew, Striviling (i.e. Stirlingshire), Linlithgow (i.e. West Lothian), Perth, Kincairdine, Aberdene, Inverness and Ross, Nairne, Cromarty, Argyle, Fyfe and Kinross, Forfar (i.e. Angus), Bamf (i.e. Banff), Sutherland, Caithnes, Elgine (i.e Moray), Orkney and Zetland, Clakmannan. "Act of the convention of estates of the kingdome of Scotland etc. for ane new and voluntar offer to his majestie of seventie two thousand pounds monethlie for the space of twelve moneths". Records of the Parliaments of Scotland. University of St Andrews. 23 January 1667. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  2. ↑ "Act anent highways and bridges". Records of the Parliaments of Scotland. University of St Andrews. 28 May 1686. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  3. ↑ Highway (Scotland) Act 1718 (1718 c. 30) and Representation of the People (Scotland) Act 1832 (1832 c. 65, section 44)
  4. ↑ Highland Roads and Bridges Act 1862, sections 4 and 5.
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