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Series VPRS 8945
Committee Minutes
About this Series Related Series Accessing the records in this Series
Date Range: Series 1851 - cont
  Series in Custody 1851 - 1990
  Contents 1851 - 1990
Public Access: Open
Location: North Melbourne
Format of Records: Physical
 
Agency which created this SeriesAgency which created this Series
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Date Range Agency Title Agency Number
1854 - cont Melbourne (Town 1842-1847; City 1847-ct) VA 511
Agency currently responsible for this SeriesAgency currently responsible for this Series
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Date Range Agency Title Agency Number
1854 - cont Melbourne (Town 1842-1847; City 1847-ct) VA 511
Description of this SeriesDescription of this Series
  • How to use the Records
    How to Use This Series

    1. Consult the attached Records Description List and identify the minute book(s) for the committee you wish to research.

    2. If the volume contains a subject index at the front use it to identify the page number containing the matter under discussion.

    Researchers should note that not all the volumes contain a subject index (particularly after 1985). If the volume is not indexed then an approximate meeting date is required to locate the matter of interest.

    A consolidated index to committee minutes (VPRS 8914) exists for the period 1986 to 1990. Researchers interested in matters occurring at this time should use this index to facilitate access

    Function/Content

    This series consists of an accumulation of volumes containing certified minutes of various committees of the Melbourne City Council (VA 511). Each volume generally contains minutes of a single committee, although some volumes may contain the minutes of several committees. The minutes generally record the names of the councillors who attended the meeting, details of agenda items, matters discussed, decisions made, and the chairman's signature confirming the minutes.

    The committee system is employed by most Victorian councils. A committee may be appointed by a council for any purpose which it is felt would be better regulated and managed by such committee. A committee may be a standing committee, appointed to oversee specific matters on an ongoing basis (such as Health, Finance, Public Works etc), or occasional committees appointed for shorter terms to manage such things as a particular park (e.g. Alexandra Park).

    Membership of these committees is made up of nominated members of the council and, in some cases, may be the whole council.

    Section 94 of the Melbourne Incorporation Act 1842 (6 Vic No:7) authorised the council to appoint committees as long as the activities of the committee were submitted to the council for approval. Subsequent legislation has continued these requirements.

    The minutes were handwritten until November 1919.

    The Melbourne City Council has operated a committee system since at least 1843 when two committees were appointed (Public Works and Markets). The minutes of the Markets Committee carried on from the Market Commissioners (VA 3155).

    Sections 71 and 72 of the Melbourne Incorporation Act (6 Vic. No:7) dealt with the transfer of the Market Commissioner's powers to the newly instigated council. The first volume of the minutes of the Markets Committee include minutes of the Market Commissioners (minutes of meetings held between 8/11/1841 and 20/12/1842. The Market Committee held its first meeting on the 5/1/1843).

    The Melbourne Incorporation (Amendment) Act 1843 clarified the council's powers with regards to market stalls and market tolls.

    System of Arrangement and Control

    This series is arranged alphabetically according to the title of the particular committee. A separate volume was created for each standing committee (new volumes were generally created if the title of a committee was altered). Each volume is arranged chronologically by the date of meeting. Minutes of Special committees were sometimes bound together in the same volume.

    Most volumes contain a subject index located at the front. Entries in this index refer the user to a page number in the volume.

    Most Committee minutes from 1843 to 1935 have previously been transferred to the Public Record Office. Minutes from each Committee were registered as separate series, as follows:
    VPRS 3100 Traffic and Building Regulations (1924-1935)
    VPRS 4030 Markets (1841-1935)
    VPRS 4031 Abattoirs and Cattle Markets (1904-1935)
    VPRS 4032 Parks and Gardens (1884-1935)
    VPRS 4033 Baths and Parks Committee (1905-1915)
    VPRS 4034 Electric Supply (1898-1933)
    VPRS 4035 Hackney Carriages (Licensed Vehicles) (1859-1938)
    VPRS 4036 Finance Committee (1853-1919)
    VPRS 4037 Public Works (1843-1932)
    VPRS 4038 Health Committee (1869-1933)
    VPRS 4039 Special Committees (1848-1932)
    VPRS 4040 Legislative (1854-1935)
    VPRS 4053 Town Hall Committee (1904-1919)
    VPRS 4054 Town Hall and Baths Committee (1919-1930)
    VPRS 4088 Miscellaneous Minutes (1898-1915).

    Related Series

    From 1910 the minutes make reference to Town Clerk's Correspondence Files (VPRS 3183) that may exist for the subject under discussion. These references are either included as part of the text (prior to 1919) or once the minutes are typed the number of the relevant Town Clerk's file is indicated in the left or right hand margin.

  • Function / Content


  • Recordkeeping System
More research resourcesMore research resources
    PROVguide064 City of Melbourne
Indexes and RegistersIndexes and Registers
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Date Range Series Title Series Number
1986 - 1990 Consolidated Index for Minutes of Permanent Committees, Special Committees and the Council VPRS 8914
Controlled SeriesControlled Series
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Date Range Series Title Series Number
Previous SeriesPrevious Series
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Transfer Date Series Title Series Number
- 1935 Markets Committee Minutes VPRS 4030
Subsequent SeriesSubsequent Series
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Transfer Date Series Title Series Number
List/s of records in this seriesList/s of records in this series
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Consignment Number Contents Date Range Public Access No. of Units
P0001 1851 - 1934 Open 1
P0002 1854 - 1990 Open 267
P0003 1947 - 1988 Open 7
Indexes and RegistersIndexes and Registers
Display entries per page
Date Range Series Title Series Number
1986 - 1990 Consolidated Index for Minutes of Permanent Committees, Special Committees and the Council VPRS 8914
More research resourcesMore research resources
    PROVguide064 City of Melbourne

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