The parishes of the county were grouped under the  Local Government Act 1929 to form unions, with each union administered by a board of guardians elected by the parish ratepayers.
The Local Government Act 1929 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that made changes to the Poor Law and local government in England and Wales. It also gave county councils increased powers over highways, and made provisions for the restructuring of urban and rural districts as more efficient local government areas. Under the Act all boards of guardians for poor law unions were abolished, with responsibility for public assistance transferred to county councils and county boroughs. The Act abolished the system of poor law unions in England and Wales and their boards of guardians, transferring their powers to local authorities. 
