VPRS 17643 Council Minutes

The first page in this volume lists key dates in the history of the Buckland Road District, beginning with the note: "Road District proclaimed 29th July 1862", extending to the proclamation of the Shire of Bright in 1866 and various key dates to 1870. The minutes up to 20 January 1863 refer to the East Buckland District Road Board and from 27 January 1863 the board is referred to as either the Buckland District Board or the Buckland District Road Board. Also on the first page is a note about the official alteration of the district boundaries in 1863, which may account for the name change.The last 74 pages of the volume record council minutes of the Shire of Bright (VA 2393), proclaimed on 18 June 1866. These minutes cover the period from July 1866 to June 1867. Later minutes of the Shire of Bright are held in VPRS 17435.Minutes of council meetings were created in accordance with section 145 of the Municipal Institutions Act 1863 (27 Vic., No.184) and with subsequent legislation relating to local government including the Local Government Act 1958 (No.6299). Many local government bodies in existence prior to 1863 maintained records of their meetings in the form of minutes.These acts have required that for each meeting of council, minutes of all proceedings are recorded together with the names of all councillors present and all who vote for and against motions. The master set of minutes is also required to be signed by the mayor or chairman of the meeting once the minutes have been confirmed at the following council meeting. The minutes relate to the wide range of activities for which the council is responsible, including building, community services, collection of rates, property valuation and town planning.The committee system is employed by most Victorian councils. The Local Government Act 1903 (No.1893) removed the requirement that separate committee minutes be kept and introduced the requirement that committees' reports to council be included in the council minutes. In some cases, the minutes of committees are recorded in the council minute books, either in lieu of or in addition to committee reports. Where committee minutes were maintained in separate volumes they constitute a separate series from the council minutes.