| Description | The General Purposes committee post-1911 continued with the same duties as before, only this time for the combined Birmingham, Aston and King's Norton Unions. The committee consisted of the whole Board of Guardians, 52 members in all. After the amalgamation of the Unions, along with their previous duties the General Purposes committee was also responsible for the Advisory sub-committee. This consisted of the chairman, vice-chairman and immediate ex-chairman of the Board of Guardians, the chairman of each standing committee, and the chairman of the Central Relief sub-committee - 15 Guardians in all. It was the Advisory sub-committee's job to 'consider any special questions which may from time to time arise and upon which the Chairman of the Board may deem it advisable to consult his colleagues, to deal with any matter arising on a report from the Clerk respecting the staff attached to his department and upon vacancies arising in any of those offices to obtain and consider applications, to consider any proposal respecting the salary or fees of the undermentioned officials viz. Clerk, Assistant Clerks, Accountant, Women Visitors, Collectors of Poor Rates (Smethwick), to make recommendations as to the number and names, the powers and duties [and] the constitution of the Standing committees, to carry into effect the provisions of the Birmingham (Extension) Order, 1911, with respect to financial adjustments with other Unions, [and] to attend to all business and matters not entrusted to any other committee' (see GP B/2/1/81).
The volumes contain the minutes of both the General Purposes committee and the Advisory sub-committee, and include all of those topics outlined above. |