Roberts v Hopwood [1925] AC 579

Court: House of Lords

Facts: The local council decided to pay its male and female staff the same wages for performing the same work. However, instead of paying monetary wages, the council provided presents to the staff as remuneration. This decision was challenged on the grounds that it misused statutory power regarding wage payments.

Issue: Did the council lawfully exercise its statutory power by providing presents instead of monetary wages?

Held: The House of Lords held that the council's decision to provide presents instead of proper wages was unlawful. The court emphasized that statutory powers must be exercised for the right reasons, meaning relevant considerations should guide their use, while irrelevant factors must be disregarded.

Key Judicial Statements: The court noted that exercising statutory power must align with the intended purpose of that power. Providing presents in lieu of wages was deemed an inappropriate use of authority, illustrating the importance of adhering to the statutory framework.

💡 Leveluplaw: underscores the principle that statutory powers must be exercised reasonably and for their intended purposes. It highlights the potential for differing interpretations of statutes and the necessity for authorities to ensure that their decisions align with legislative intent.