Commissioners of Supply were established in each of the
counties of ScotlandThe counties of Scotland were the principal divisions of Scotland until 1975. Scotland's current lieutenancy areas and registration counties are largely based on them.-Origin:...
in 1667, originally to collect the Land Tax. They later came to carry on much of the
local governmentLocal governments are administrative office that are smaller than a state. The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government....
of their areas, until the establishment of county councils by the
Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889The Local Government 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...
. Commissioners were finally abolished in 1930.
The
Parliament of ScotlandThe Parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland. The unicameral parliament of Scotland is first found on record during the early thirteenth century, and the first meeting for which reliable evidence survives The Parliament of...
passed legislation creating Commissioners of Supply for each of the Scottish counties in 1667. They were effectively a committee of the large landowners of the county, charged with ensuring the collection of "cess" or land tax to supply the financial needs of the sovereign.
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Commissioners of Supply were established in each of the
counties of ScotlandThe counties of Scotland were the principal divisions of Scotland until 1975. Scotland's current lieutenancy areas and registration counties are largely based on them.-Origin:...
in 1667, originally to collect the Land Tax. They later came to carry on much of the
local governmentLocal governments are administrative office that are smaller than a state. The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government....
of their areas, until the establishment of county councils by the
Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889The Local Government 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...
. Commissioners were finally abolished in 1930.
The
Parliament of ScotlandThe Parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland. The unicameral parliament of Scotland is first found on record during the early thirteenth century, and the first meeting for which reliable evidence survives The Parliament of...
passed legislation creating Commissioners of Supply for each of the Scottish counties in 1667. They were effectively a committee of the large landowners of the county, charged with ensuring the collection of "cess" or land tax to supply the financial needs of the sovereign. 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.
In many cases the commissioners appointed special constables for all or parts of their counties, and by the
Police (Scotland) Act 1857The Police Act 1857 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. 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.-Establishment of County Police Forces:The...
they were required to establish a county police force, in all areas outside police burghs, from 1858.
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 sherriff of the county.
Commissioners of Supply were finally abolished in 1930 by the
Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929The Local Government Act 1929 reorganised local government in Scotland from 1930, introducing joint county councils, large and small burghs and district councils...
.