Britain: An official handbook > 1956

BRITAIN: AN OFFICIAL HANDBOOK
174
Under the Electricity Act of 1947, a central authority, then known as the British
Electricity Authority, and 14 Area Electricity Boards, took over in April 1948 the
assets of former municipal and private electricity supply undertakings throughout
Great Britain, except in the area already served by the North of Scotland Hydro-
Electric Board (see below). Under the Electricity Reorganization (Scotland) Act of
1954 the Authority’s functions in Scotland were taken over on 1st April 1955 by the
South of Scotland Electricity Board (see below) and the name of the Authority was
changed from British Electricity Authority to Central Electricity Authority.
In March 1955 there were 199,400 persons employed in electricity supply in
Great Britain, of whom 23,500 were women.
England and Wales
The Central Electricity Authority is appointed by the Minister of Fuel and Power
and consists of a chairman, two deputy chairmen, and six to eight part-time
members. The Authority is responsible to the Minister for the general policy of the
whole electricity supply industry in England and Wales. Its main function is to
develop and maintain an efficient co-ordinated and economical system of electricity
supply and it is responsible for the generation and bulk supply of electricity to the
Area Boards.
The Area Boards (of which there are at present 12) are responsible for the distri¬
bution of electricity in England and Wales. Each consists of a full-time chairman
and deputy chairman and four to six part-time members, appointed, like the
members of the Central Authority, by the Minister of Fuel and Power.
Area Consultative Councils have been set up in the area of each Area Board to
represent the interests of consumers. They each consist of between 20 and 30
members, of whom between 50 and 60 per cent are nominated by local authority
associations. The chairman of each Area Consultative Council is an ex-officio
member of the corresponding Area Board. There are also Consultative Councils for
each of the districts of the two Scottish Electricity Boards and the chairman of each
is a member of the respective Board.
As an administrative arrangement for the local management and operation of
power stations and the Grid (see p. 178), the Authority has established Generation
Divisions, of which, at present, there are eleven. The areas they cover correspond
in general with those of the Area Boards, except in north-west England and North
Wales where one Generation Division coincides with the territory of two Area Boards.
Finance. The Central Authority and Area Boards taken together have made a
consolidated net surplus on their operations in each of the years since they were
established. Up to and including the financial year 1954-55. these surpluses
amounted in the aggregate to over £60 million.
Labour Relations. Under the Electricity Act, 1947. the Central Authority is
required to devise a satisfactory procedure for collective bargaining and joint con¬
sultation with its employees. In each of the three main groups of workers (admini¬
strative, technical, and manual), there is a separate National Joint Industrial Council
or Board, which negotiates terms and conditions of employment. A National Joint
Advisory' Council drawn from management and employees has been set up to
discuss questions of health, welfare and safety of all groups of employees. There are
also separate district councils and local works and advisory committees forming part
of the negotiating and conciliatory machinery.