They were formed in response to cholera epidemics and were given powers to control sewers, clean the streets, regulate environmental health risks including slaughterhouses and ensure the proper supply of water to their districts.

Local boards were eventually merged with the corporations of municipal boroughs in 1873, or became urban districts in 1894.

The aim of the act was to improve the sanitary condition of towns and populous places in England and Wales by placing: the supply of water; sewerage; drainage; cleansing; paving, and environmental health regulation under a single local body.

The act could be applied to any place in England and Wales except the City of London and some other areas in the Metropolis already under the control of sewer commissioners.

The Act was passed by the Whig government of Lord John Russell, in response to the urging of Edwin Chadwick.

The board was originally to be dissolved after five years, but acts of parliament were passed annually allowing for its continuation.

In 1852, Edward Gotto was employed to carry out the national General Board of Health Survey.

The act made some changes to the procedure for constituting a local board and gave them some additional powers.

In 1871 a separate agency was again formed entitled the Local Government Board, with a President who was frequently a Cabinet member.

In that year the Public Health Act 1872 merged local boards into municipal boroughs and improvement commissioners where they shared the same district.