Full description
The Local Government (City of Sydney Boundaries) Act, 1967 (Act no 48, 1967) provided for parts of the City of Sydney to be removed and transferred to the Municipality of Leichhardt. These were essentially the inner-city suburbs of Annandale Balmain, and Glebe. (1) The relevant sections of this Act were proclaimed to commence on 1 August 1968. (2) The Joint Finance Committee created under the Local Government (City of Sydney Boundaries) Act, 1967 determined which assets, including land and interests in land, and rights, plant and equipment, debts and liabilities would be transferred in conjunction with the boundary changes. It was published in the NSW Government Gazette of 26 July 1968. (3) The parcels of land were primarily those dedicated for public use including parks, recreational areas, reserves, play centres, premises of local government agencies including Engineer's Depot, Town Halls and caretaker's residences and institutions.
On 30 August 1990 the Minister for Local Government and Co-Operatives appointed Commissioners with the following terms of reference: "To examine and report on the capacity of the Council of the Municipality of Leichhardt to effectively undertake the delivery of local government services and to effectively and efficiently discharge its administrative and planning obligations" The Commissioners included Mr D.J. Kelly (Department of Local Government) Mr W.A. Henningham, Mr P. Olive (Department of Planning) Mr G. Hutton (Registrar) and Mrs J. Whitworth (Research Officer). The Commission took evidence in November and December 1990 and met with the Council in open session in April 1991. The Commission reported to the Minister in June 1991. (4)
On 11 October 2000 the Minister for Local Government announced a major review into the structure of the local Government areas in the inner City and eastern suburbs under the chairmanship of Professor Kevin Sproats. The boundaries of eight Councils were considered. It was recommended that the Councils be reduced to four: (i) an enhanced City of Sydney, (ii) a mixed residential-industrial city, (iii) a beachside/harbourside residential city, and (iv) an inner west residential gateway. The alternative recommendation was to create an enlarged Sydney CBD Council to include expansion into the inner eastern suburbs of Darlinghurst, Kings Cross, Woolloomooloo, Potts Point, Rushcutters Bay and Elizabeth Bay and the inner western suburbs of Glebe and Forest Lodge. (5) In its document "Examination of the proposed boundary alteration to the City of Sydney, Leichhardt and South Sydney Local Government Areas", in March 2002 the Boundaries Commission recommended the latter proposal. This decision was the subject of a successful appeal to the Land and Environment Court. Eventually on 14 February the High Court of Australia ruled in favour of the Boundaries Commission. The suburbs of Glebe and Forest Lodge were transferred to the City of Sydney from 8 May 2003. (6)
On 12 May 2016 Leichhardt Council was dissolved when it was amalgamated with Ashfield Council and Marrickville Council to form Inner West Council. (7)
Endnotes
1. Local Government (City of Sydney Boundaries) Act, 1967 s, 12 (c) and Schedule 1.
2. NSW Government Gazette 28 June 1968, p.2584.
3. NSW Government Gazette 26 July 1968, p.2959-60.
4. Report of the Department of Local Government for the year ended 30 June, 1991 p. 4
5. Inquiry into the structure of eight Council areas in the inner city and eastern suburbs of Sydney (Sproats inquiry) Final report, p.8-9.
6. NSW Government Gazette 19 February 2003 p. 2173, Schedule A p. 2174 and Schedule C p. 2176.
7. Local Government (Council Amalgamations) Proclamation 2016 (2016 No 242), cl.4(1) and Schedule 9, NSW Legislation website, 12 May 2016.
User Contributed Tags
Login to tag this record with meaningful keywords to make it easier to discover
