| Description | The Scheme of Government dealt with the role and composition of the Governing Body, the number of meetings and its power to appoint committees. The second half of the document contains schedules which set out the objectives of the Polytechnic, general regulations as to conduct, fee regulations, types of classes, regulations for clubs and societies and the status and privileges of members of the Polytechnic.
Series comprises copies of the Scheme of Government for various London Polytechnics, 1891-1894, and the Schemes of Government and subsequent amendments for Battersea Polytechnic ,1891-1960s. Items BA/B/1/14 to BA/B/1/16 also contain related correspondence, 1923-1962, between Battersea Polytechnic, the Charity Commission and the Ministry of Education which took over some of the powers of the Charity Commission after 1949.
Papers between 1956 and 1957 relate to the amendment of the Scheme in connection with the designation of Battersea Polytechnic as a College of Advanced Technology and its re-naming as Battersea College of Technology in June 1957. They include correspondence with the Ministry of Education and discussion of transfer of courses and alterations to the constitution of the Governing Body and other committees. |
| Administrative History | Battersea Polytechnic was governed by a Scheme made under the City of London Parochial Charities Act 1883 by the Board of the Charity Commissioners on 23 June 1891. The Scheme later had several amendments made to it at various times.
Under the City of London Parochial Charities Act the Charity Commissioners were given power to appropriate and apply to specific objects certain old city charities for the benefit of the poorer inhabitants of London. The South London Polytechnic Committee was set up in 1888 and the Charity Commissioners agreed to provide an endowment of £1,500 per annum provided the sum of £60,000 was raised for building and equipment. The £1,500 endowment was increased by the Commissioners to £2,500 in 1895 and this sum, known as the Scheme grant was paid annually by the City Parochial Foundation untith the 1960s. |