AGY-2977 | Shortland County Council

Full description

Shortland County Council was constituted under the Local Government Act 1919 by a proclamation appearing in the NSW Government Gazette on 12 July 1957. (1) This was pursuant to a recommendation of the Electricity Authority of NSW made under Section 12 of the Electricity Development Act 1945-1957. (2) The proclamation delegated to the Council various powers and duties respecting the generation, supply and maintenance of electricity for the Shortland County District, which initially comprised the local government areas of Newcastle, Dungog, Gloucester, Lake Macquarie, Port Stevens and Stroud and parts of Lower Hunter and Wallarobba. (3) The proclamation appointed 1 September 1957 as the date of the delegation of powers. The inaugural meeting of the Council was held on 19 August 1957. (4)

The major responsibilities and powers of the new County Council were derived from the Local Government Act 1919 and the Borough of Newcastle Electric Lighting Act 1892 and included the construction, extension, protection,maintenance, control and management of the supply of electricity; the installation of electrical fittings and appliances, including the purchase, generation, and manufacture of electrical fittings or appliances; borrowing money for the construction of works or to enable the provision of services; issuing debentures, mortgage deeds or bonds to secure the repayment of moneys borrowed; granting permission to other parties to supply electrical current to residents and for this purpose to lay or erect pipes, poles, wires and other apparatus over public places; granting permission for a person to construct, lay, suspend or otherwise place rails, pipes, wires, cables, tunnels or other structures in public places for the supply of electric current; the lighting of public places and the management of all necessary infrastructure; the imposition of rates to cover the cost of electricity supply; the installation of meters to measure the use of electricity, and a range of provisions to see that electrical works were protected. (5)

Under the Country Districts Reconstitution Act 1979, Shortland County Council's area of responsibility was significantly enlarged when its District's boundaries were altered to incorporate the Hunter Valley and Upper Hunter County Districts, which were abolished by the Act. (6) The new arrangements commenced on 1 January 1980. (7)

The Shortland County District now comprised the Cities of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland and Cessnock, and the Shires of Port Stephens, Great Lakes, Gloucester, Dungog, Singleton, Muswellbrook, Scone and part of Merriwa. (8) These 12 local government constituencies were represented on Shortland County Council by 15 elected members from the respective general purpose councils. (9)

As part of a corporate campaign launched in November 1986 to counter the threat posed by alternative energies, Shortland County Council adopted a new marketing image under the trading name Shortland Electricity. (10)

Under the Electricity (Amendment) Act 1993, which commenced on 1 July 1993, councils for electricity supply were dissolved and replaced by corporatised bodies. (11) Shortland County Council was reconstituted to officially become Shortland Electricity. (12)

Endnotes
1. NSW Government Gazette No.77, 12 July 1957, p.2152.
2. Loc. cit.
3. Loc. cit.
4. Shortland County Council Annual Report and Statement of Accounts 1958, p.8.
5. NSW Government Gazette No.77, 12 July 1957, p.2152; Borough of Newcastle Electric Lighting Act 1892 (55 Vic.).
6. Country Districts Reconstitution Act 1979 (Act No.185, 1979), s.3(2); s.4(2).
7. NSW Government Gazette No.184, 21 December 1979, pp.6384-85.|
8. Shortland Electricity Operating Plan 1988-89, p.2.
9. Loc. cit.
10. Shortland Electricity Annual Report 1986-87, pp.3, 19.
11. Electricity (Amendment) Act 1993 (Act No.24, 1993), Sch.1 (2); NSW Government Gazette No.70, 30 June 1993, p.3327.
12. Shortland Electricity Annual Report 1992-93, p.4.