Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1875 - 1993 (Creation)
Level of description
Series
Extent and medium
Context area
Name of creator
Administrative history
Geelong West was created a Borough on 29 May 1875. It was subdivided into three wards on 26 February 1897. It was proclaimed a Town on 22 March 1922. It was redefined, a portion of Corio Shire (Moorpanyal Riding) being severed and annexed on 9 December 1926, as the fourth ward. It was declared and proclaimed a City on 8 and 17 April 1929 respectively. Local Government Reform Geelong West City was amalgamated with the City of Greater Geelong by the City of Greater Geelong Act 1993 on 18 May 1993. This occurred as part of a statewide program of local government reform enacted between 1993 and 1995. The reform process reduced the number of councils from 210 to 78.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Not yet assessed
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
Script of material
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Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
In progress
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Reels 712 - 725, 1228 - 1231, fiche box 28, CDROM 122
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Function / Content This record series comprises rate records for the Geelong West City in three different formats - volumes, cards and computer printouts. Every year each local council is required to make and levy rates in respect of all rateable properties within its municipal district. The Municipal Institutions Act 1854 (No.26) empowered local councils to make by-laws for the regulation of their own proceedings including the collection of rates. The amount of rate is therefore determined by the council although a statutory limit applies. Rates are the main source of revenue for the council. The rate record is a record of the levying and payment of rates on rateable properties. Apart from the general rate which is levied equally on all properties, a council may levy an extra rate or a special rate. An extra rate may be levied, over and above the general rate, on a subdivision of a municipality to cover expenses occurred in that subdivision. A special rate may be levied when a council undertakes works for the special benefit of a particular portion of the municipality. Separate rate records are maintained for general, extra and special rates and these are therefore registered as separate series. For each rateable property a record is created which identifies the property and person rated and includes details of the annual value of the property, the amounts due, amounts paid, arrears and when rates were abandoned. A complete rate record may comprise two parts: a Register of Rateable Properties and a Rates Register. The Register of Rateable Properties identifies the properties and persons rated and the Rates Register comprises the accounting details. Where these two parts exist they are registered separately. The format of rate records has changed over the years. Initially the levying and payment of rates were recorded in volumes (known as Rate Books) until the introduction of cards (known as Rate Cards) from the 1930s. In the 1980's and 1990's automated systems have mostly been used. Printouts of the automated system are usually produced as the rate record. Series of rate records in different formats are sometimes registered separately. Recordkeeping System Rate records can be arranged in various ways. It is common for rate records to be created according to the year in which the rate was levied and then by the ward or riding of the municipal district. Within that arrangement entries are usually made by street and property number. The arrangement of the streets may be alphabetical but more often than not they are arranged according to an established route taken by the assessor. In the latter case it is common for the entries for each property to be allocated a consecutive rate (or assessment) number which reflects the particular route. The rate numbers usually change each year due to the addition or removal of rateable properties along the route. An index to street names is sometimes created to assist identification of entries under this arrangement.