Information Services

Unique IDAG-0004DescriptionSee PC 1984 pp2141-2142

This Department was formed in 1984 by amalgamating responsibilities from three other agencies. The first Director was Kerry Richard Nash, formerly Chief Strategic Planner, Planning and Building Department. From 1 January 1991 the Department was subordinated to the Corporate Services Division in a structural reorganisation which created four large Divisions to coordinate the functioning of Departments. These Divisions are not recognised as agencies by the Archives documentation CRS system. K R Nash was promoted to Divisional Manager, and the former deputy manager of Information Systems, Mr Peter G Southwell, became Director of the Department.

From I January 1993 the Department was subordinated to the new CA111 Corporate & Business Services Division (Corporate Resources) in a further reorganisation. The new Divisions, five replacing the earlier four, are recognised as controlling agencies by the CRS system.

The principal responsibility allocated to the Department was to provide Council with an integrated modern computer system, and this responsibility continues to dominate the overall functioning of the agency. In late 1984, the agency was given the new responsibility of managing the introduction of program budgeting within Council, and the closely-related responsibility for co-ordination of policy and research work for the 1987 City of Sydney Plan. These additional responsibilities developed into a general management support service activity.

The agency was divided into Branches and Sections -

Computer Services, responsible for managing all aspects of Council's automated information systems.

Records & Archives Services: initially these responsibilities were performed by an Information Services and an Archives & Documentation Services Branch. These were combined at the end of 1987 in to the Records & Archives Services Branch, again separated in October 1991 into a Records Section and an Archives Section, and again joined into a Document Technology unit in 1995.

The Building Activity Section, responsible for undertaking periodic surveys of occupancy and utilisation of buildings in the City.

Corporate Development (transferred to the Office of the General Manager from 1993) was allocated general management support services responsibilities, including co-ordination of program budgeting and certain special project responsibilities including a role in Council's position on the City Monorail in the late 1980s.

The [Media Liaison Office], responsible for relations with the news media, does not appear to have had a stable official title. It also exercised a general but undefined responsibility for promotional publications relating to the Council as a whole (such as the production of the Annual Report in conjunction with Corporate Development) and for the contract photographer employed by the Council.

An Aldermanic Services Unit existed briefly from September 1986 to March 1987, but was abolished when Commissioners were installed.

In October 1994 the name of the Department was changed to Information Services. On 12 April 1996, the Director of Information Services, Dr Lois Little resigned from Council and was not replaced, although the Managers of the Computer Section and Records and Archives acted in her position. With her resignation the Department effectively ceased to exist.

From this point the CRS system recognises it as a responsibility of the Corporate Resources Division but not as a separate business unit. Administratively the Computer Services and "Document Technology" areas became quite separate. Information Services continued to be a single business team but Document Technology became part of a conglomerate 'Internal Services' unit until rejoining Information Management in 1999.CreationResolution of Council 28 May 1984AbolitionResignation of Director Lois Little 12 April 1996

Series

Fire Insurance Plans Reference Microfilm

Fire Insurance Plans Master Microfilm

Waterloo Council Plans Reference Microfilm

Waterloo Council Plans Duplicate Microfilm

Waterloo Council Plans Master Microfilm

Annual Reports II

Conservation of Building Plans Project Registers

Land Use Survey Photographs

Working Papers of Eric Russell, Council Historian

Internal Telephone Directories

Duplicate Negative Microfilm of CRS 493,Plans Custodian Reference Copy

Master Negative Microfilm of [CRS 493] Adopted Level Plans

Reference Microfilm of Council Plans II

Master Microfilm of Council Plans II

Master Microfiche of [CRS 504] City Engineer's Street Cards

Community Employment Development Officer's Papers

Letter Register [Microfilm and Microfiche of Incoming Correspondence]

Duplicate Negative Microfilm of Plans of Council Properties

Reference Microfilm of Plans of Council Properties

Master Negative Microfilm of Plans of Council Properties

Conservation and Treatment Reports

Microfilming and Destruction Register

Plan Custodian's Reference Microfilm of General Plans of Survey,

Agency

Cultural and Community Services

Corporate Services

Office of the CEO and Councillor Support

Legal and Governance

Description

Start date28th May 1984End date24th April 1996Relationship legacy dataPRECEDED BY: Computerisation Steering Committee AG-0163 (06/12/1984)
PRECEDED BY: Civic and Public Affairs Department AG-0009 (c. 01/01/1986) - Compilation of Annual Report from 1986
PRECEDED BY: City Treasury Department I AG-0012 (by 31/12/1984) - Computer services moved from Treasury in 1984
PRECEDED BY: Administration Department AG-0003 (28/05/1984) - EDP, Records and Archives to Info Systems in 1984
RELATED TO: Sydney City Council OR-0001 (28/05/1984 to 12/04/1996)
RELATED TO: Council administration FN-0026 (28/05/1984 to 12/04/1996)
SUBORDINATE AGENCY: City Historian AG-0198 (02/02/1987 to 12/04/1996)
Source System ID4

Relationships

Preceding agenciesAdministration DepartmentCity Treasury Department ICivic and Public Affairs DepartmentComputerisation Steering CommitteeSubordinate agenciesCity HistorianOrganisationSydney City CouncilRelated functionsCouncil administration

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Information Services