City Commissioners

• City Commissioners; 1826-1850

• Improvement Commissioners

The City Commissioners had overlapping jurisdictions with the Corporation and disputes were common. Responsibilities included paving, lighting and policing, but the corporation already ran a police force, and the parish constables were still appointed by magistrates. The Commissioners had the power to levy rates to fund their improvements although there was a limit to the amount they could impose. The commissioners were also responsible for instituting the first nightwatch in York.
Improvement and public health functions transferred to Board of Health in 1850.

Established by local Act: Geo IV 1825 'An Act for paving, lighting, watching and improving the City of York and the suburbs thereof and the Liberty of Saint Peter ... and for regulating the Police...'.

The City Commissioners were created by the York Improvement Act of 1825. Due to local controversy over the role of the corporation in the new Commission, two different bills initially were presented to Parliament. However a compromise was eventually reached and the new act allowed for 40 commissioners, elected by wards and open to non-conformists and non-freemen. The Liberty of St Peter had its own separate commissioners. Replaced in part by the Board of Health Committee in 1850.

International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) - Ottawa