Unique IDFN-0021Description***This function applies to all Councils***
For Councils other than Sydney City Council, absorbed by the City by 1949, see function FUN 29 for details.
The responsibilities of the Council (as a deliberative and legislative corporate body, including its Committees) to regulate its own constitutional affairs and procedures, and general powers relating to governmental status (such as to raise and spend public money). Includes the provision of secretarial services to Council meetings.
In the period before about 1914, and especially in the first decades of the Council's existence, Committees, and the Mayor and Aldermen individually, played a relatively large part in administrative matters, in addition to their deliberative / legislative role. Such intervention is generally reflected in the range of functions assigned to individual Committees, and to the activities reflected in the records of those Committees.
During the periods when the elected Council was dismissed from office by the Colonial / State government, and replaced by Commissioners, the Commissioners are deemed to have acted as the Council in all capacities. Commissioners were in office during: 1854-1856, 1928-1930, 1967-1969, and 1987-1988.CreationSydney Corporation Act 1842: preamble and ss94-99.
Subsequent City of Sydney Acts current to 1949 and then from 1988 onwards.
Council created as a body corporate, power to create committees, frequency and conduct of meetings.
For municipalities other than the City of Sydney (to 1949): Municipalities Act 1858 s7 (status as a body corporate). Refer to the function CF 29.
Local Government Act 1919 (applied to the City from 1949): see especially Part II (Constitution) and Part VI (Administration).
Local Government Act 1993
Chapters 9 (Establishment of Councils), 12 (Operation of Councils)
