The Operation and Achievements of the Winchester Pavement Commissioners 1770–1866

Improvement Commissions were established in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, by individual Acts of Parliament, to address particular local concerns. The most popular form of Improvement Commission, the Pavement Commissions, were established in over 300 towns and cities. The Winchester Pavement Commissioners were established in 1771. Their role was to address the poor state of the streets of Winchester, in respect of paving, lighting, cleansing and safety. The 1770 Winchester Pavement Commission Act specifies the qualifications of potential Commissioners, the activities that the Commissioners could undertake and the means of finance for these activities. The Act was repealed in 1866, following the introduction of the 1858 Local Government Act and the responsibilities of the Pavement Commissioners were largely taken on by the town council. There were 112 Commissioners named in the Winchester Pavement Commissioners Act. The Commissioners financed their activities by a rate on buildings and an additional turnpike toll. They could borrow money secured against these income streams.The Winchester Commissioners agreed contracts for the paving of streets and installation of oil street lamps and, later on, gas street lamps. They employed the scavenger, the constable and the night watchmen. They regulated nuisances and obstructions in the streets and also regulated hackney chairs. They discussed the possibility of introducing sewage facilities for over twenty years without coming to a conclusion.