NRS-16862 | Baths Committee reports [Leichhardt Council]

This series consists of reports and recommendations to Leichhardt Council from the Baths Committee of Leichhardt Council. The Baths Committee was formed to oversee the construction, maintenance and management of public, tidal baths at Iron Cove (sometimes referred to as 'Long Cove'). The committee expanded its function to include the management of Parks as well as Baths in April 1911. The committee was known from this time on as the Parks and Baths Committee.The reports have been recorded in chronological order over two volumes and generally consist of numbered, itemised recommendations. Council could reject the recommendation, send the recommendation back to the committee for further discussion, amend the recommendation, or accept the recommendation. Also included in the reports is the date of the meeting, the names of the persons attending and the signature of the Committee Chairman or Vice Chairman. Occasionally the reports have been annotated with the details of the Council Meeting at which the recommendations were adopted. The recommendations were not binding upon Council unless, and until, adopted by Council as shown in the minutes of the Council meeting.The subject matter of the reports includes construction and maintenance of the baths, tendering out, ordinances re bathing, and baths opening hours.Section 109 of the Municipalities Act of 1867 (31 Vic. No.12), which was assented to on 23 December 1867, allowed municipal councils to appoint either standing committees or occasional (special) committees, composed of councillors, and to delegate to the committees 'any inquiry negotiation or arrangement or power to do any emergent act or to carry out any work which such Council may have ordered agreed to or directed'. However, Committees had to report to the council at the earliest opportunity.The reports and recommendations document the decisions made by the Committee at its meetings. The reports of each meeting of the Committee were confirmed and signed by the chairman to guarantee that they were a true and accurate record.