South Sydney Municipal Council Health Surveyor's Department

Unique IDAG-0019DescriptionAt the inaugural meeting of the Northcott Municipal Council on 1 August 1968, T R Hall was appointed Municipal Health Surveyor and J D Smith, the Deputy Health Surveyor. They were charged with the following responsibilities - sanitation, pest control, and regulation of the keeping of animals on premises.

Other tasks allocated to the Department included authorisation for the Health Inspectors to inspect premises under the Public Health Act 1902-1952, the Clean Air Act 1961, the Dog Act 1966, the Local Government Act 1919, the Noxious Trades Act 1902-1944, and the Pure Food Act 1908-1953. Therefore the responsibilities of the Health Inspectors included the regular inspection of premises, ensuring compliance with standards, ensuring the proper licensing of Council premises, investigating complaints re public health matters, investigating home and work situations where notifiable diseases had occurred, reporting on building applications and ventilation installations, taking samples of milk and public health education.

The Patrol Officers were responsible for the prevention of rubbish dumping and illegal obstructions on roads and footpaths, detection of illegal street traders, conducting noise and smoke observations and patrolling parks.

The Pest Controllers were responsible for inspection of buildings to detect vermin infestation, spraying of insecticide, advising the public regarding vermin, disinfecting premises where infectious disease had occurred, and organising the conduct of immunisation clinics.

The Dog Controller and Impounding Officer were responsible for the seizing of nuisances, taking charge of stray animals, animal registrations and keeping the Council Pound.

In August 1971 Council approved the position of Health Education Officer who was responsible for public health education in schools, community groups, and food manufacturing and vending establishments.

By August 1972 the Department was also responsible for work on private right-of-ways and drainage from premises on to roads.

In March 1981 the Department assumed the functions relating to the processing of building applications and routine development applications from the Planning and Building Department. It was renamed the Health and Building Department.

From the inauguration of the new Northcott Municipal Council, the Municipal Health Surveyor's Department was based at Waterloo Town Hall, Elizabeth Street, Waterloo. The Department had the following structure: The Municipal Health Surveyor, T R Hall, was the head of the department, and his deputy was the Deputy Municipal Health Surveyor, J D Smith. The Department was then divided into three branches. The first branch, based at Redfern Town Hall, was headed by Senior Health Inspector F Powell, with another Senior Health Inspector and a third (scale) inspector reporting to him.

The second branch, based at Waterloo Town Hall, was headed by Senior Health Inspector D Williams, and also comprised two other senior health inspectors and a scale inspector. The third branch, based at Erskineville Town Hall, was headed by Senior Health Inspector V Treffery, and comprised two patrol officers, three pest controllers and two dog controllers. The Department by 1970 and 17 staff.

T R Hall, appointed as Municipal Health Surveyor, as of 1 August 1968, retired in July 1974, and was replaced by J D Smith.

Sources: CRS 58/1, CRS 87: Files 890/41, 888/1, 805/24, 916/20.CreationLocal Government (City of Sydney Boundaries) Act, 1967AbolitionLocal Government (City of Sydney Boundaries) Act, 1981

Series

Agency

South Sydney Municipal Council Health and Building Department

Description

Start date1st August 1968End date11th March 1981Relationship legacy dataPRECEDED BY: City Health Department AG-0073 (01/08/1968)
RELATED TO: South Sydney Municipal Council OR-0011 (01/08/1968 to 11/03/1981)
RELATED TO: Public health FN-0012 (01/08/1968 to 11/03/1981)
RELATED TO: Garbage and refuse cleansing FN-0003 (01/08/1968 to 11/03/1981)
Source System ID19

Relationships

Preceding agenciesCity Health DepartmentOrganisationSouth Sydney Municipal CouncilRelated functionsGarbage and refuse cleansingPublic health

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South Sydney Municipal Council Health Surveyor's Department