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Annual Reports II
Description
Unique IDAS-0924Start date1st January 1982End date1st January 1982FormatVolume - Hardcover Publication - PamphletDescriptionThis series consists of the annual reports of the Sydney City Council indicating various highlights in the accomplishment of different Council's departments, including yearly financial statements.
Prior to 1982, there were no general annual reports produced by Council, except for individual departmental yearly reports like those issued between 1888-1972 by the Treasury Department and the City Engineer's Department in CRS 42. The Town Clerk's annual reports (1893, 1902-1945) provided a general review of Council activities. Another publication produced between 1900 and 1941 and known as Vade Mecums was a yearbook. It provided progress reports of selective major projects of the Sydney City Council.
Until 1982, the only publication that approximates an annual report was as information brochure, popularly called "report to rate payers and residents", mailed to rate payers every year. The brochure contained basic information about services provided by Council, a list of aldermen and contacts, and general estimates of income and expenditure for the year.
In 1982, a Council public relations consultant observed that the materials contained in the annual review or information brochure "does not meet the requirements for an Annual Report" as compared to annual reports of commercial organisations or other public utilities. During the same year, the criteria for the 1982 R. H. Dougherty Award for the best annual reports for local government units was received by Council. The public relations consultant remarked that the Council annual review "does not meet the criteria laid down for the R.H. Dougherty Award". The consultant added that due to time constraints, an annual report of a "more typical nature", could be produced in 1983.
In February 1983, after a Brisbane visit of a Council official group, composed of Aldermen Stanley Ashmore-Smith and James Goodwin, and the Director of Parks and Civic Affairs, which examined the effective communication strategies employed by that city, Council decided to have its public affairs and communications
procedure appraised. Mr. Richard Whitington, a consultant in communications with extensive experience in media relations, advertising and public affairs was engaged.
The result of this appraisal became known as the Whitington Report which concluded that many Council initiatives remain unnoticed because of lack of easy media access to council information sources, lack of speedy response to media approaches, and lack of control over the image of Council conveyed to the public, who considered Council to be re-active, unplanned, and under-resourced.
The key recommendations of the report consisted of the creation of a full-time media unit at the Town Hall, development of a media strategy, revision of internal procedures for selection, timing and presentation of publicity projects, and for individual contact with media.
In 1983, the 1982 Sydney City Annual Report was published with the assistance of the public relations consultants. The subjects included grants and subsidies, health, welfare, library services, recreation, garbage, housing and community amenities, roads and ancillary facilities.
By 1984, the Public Affairs Unit was already in operation within the Civic and Public Affairs Department. One of the initial tasks undertaken by the unit was the production of the 1983 Annual Report which came out in mid-1984. It was also the year that NSW introduced the annual reporting legislation which prescribes reporting requirements.
The Council annual reports do not follow any specific style, size, and format, particularly in 1986 when the annual report was provided as a leaflet. There seems to have been no annual report produced in 1985, although AF 37.06.0109 contains all the draft and final edited materials for it.
As a result of the changes in the accounting and reporting period for all NSW councils from the calendar year to the financial year, Annual Report 1994/1995 covers the period between 1 January 1994 to 30 June 1995.
Sources:
AF 37.06.0091
AF 37.06.0109
AF 37.05.0017
AF 38.07.0006
Annual Report 1994/1995
In 2017 the Annual Reports, Financial Statements, State of the Environment Reports and Reports to ratepayers from 1982- 2004 were scanned and made available via Investigator. From 2004/2005 these reports are available on the City's website.
Start Date qual:
Start Date: 01/01/1982
End Date qual:
End Date: NoneRelationship legacy dataCREATED BY: Information Services AG-0004 (01/01/1989 to 31/12/1992) CREATED BY: Parks and Recreations Department AG-0010 (01/01/1982 to 31/12/1983) CREATED BY: Office of the CEO and Councillor Support AG-0107 (01/01/1993) CREATED BY: Civic and Public Affairs Department AG-0009 (01/01/1984 to 31/12/1988) PRECEDED BY: Annual Reports I AS-0042 (01/01/1982) RELATED TO: Publicity and public relations AY-24 (01/01/1982) LanguageEnglish (eng)Archivist noteSome annual report to ratepayers are held in the Sydney Reference Collection. These reports were removed from the SRC in May 2017 and merged with this series or discarded.
Prior to 1982, there were no general annual reports produced by Council, except for individual departmental yearly reports like those issued between 1888-1972 by the Treasury Department and the City Engineer's Department in CRS 42. The Town Clerk's annual reports (1893, 1902-1945) provided a general review of Council activities. Another publication produced between 1900 and 1941 and known as Vade Mecums was a yearbook. It provided progress reports of selective major projects of the Sydney City Council.
Until 1982, the only publication that approximates an annual report was as information brochure, popularly called "report to rate payers and residents", mailed to rate payers every year. The brochure contained basic information about services provided by Council, a list of aldermen and contacts, and general estimates of income and expenditure for the year.
In 1982, a Council public relations consultant observed that the materials contained in the annual review or information brochure "does not meet the requirements for an Annual Report" as compared to annual reports of commercial organisations or other public utilities. During the same year, the criteria for the 1982 R. H. Dougherty Award for the best annual reports for local government units was received by Council. The public relations consultant remarked that the Council annual review "does not meet the criteria laid down for the R.H. Dougherty Award". The consultant added that due to time constraints, an annual report of a "more typical nature", could be produced in 1983.
In February 1983, after a Brisbane visit of a Council official group, composed of Aldermen Stanley Ashmore-Smith and James Goodwin, and the Director of Parks and Civic Affairs, which examined the effective communication strategies employed by that city, Council decided to have its public affairs and communications
procedure appraised. Mr. Richard Whitington, a consultant in communications with extensive experience in media relations, advertising and public affairs was engaged.
The result of this appraisal became known as the Whitington Report which concluded that many Council initiatives remain unnoticed because of lack of easy media access to council information sources, lack of speedy response to media approaches, and lack of control over the image of Council conveyed to the public, who considered Council to be re-active, unplanned, and under-resourced.
The key recommendations of the report consisted of the creation of a full-time media unit at the Town Hall, development of a media strategy, revision of internal procedures for selection, timing and presentation of publicity projects, and for individual contact with media.
In 1983, the 1982 Sydney City Annual Report was published with the assistance of the public relations consultants. The subjects included grants and subsidies, health, welfare, library services, recreation, garbage, housing and community amenities, roads and ancillary facilities.
By 1984, the Public Affairs Unit was already in operation within the Civic and Public Affairs Department. One of the initial tasks undertaken by the unit was the production of the 1983 Annual Report which came out in mid-1984. It was also the year that NSW introduced the annual reporting legislation which prescribes reporting requirements.
The Council annual reports do not follow any specific style, size, and format, particularly in 1986 when the annual report was provided as a leaflet. There seems to have been no annual report produced in 1985, although AF 37.06.0109 contains all the draft and final edited materials for it.
As a result of the changes in the accounting and reporting period for all NSW councils from the calendar year to the financial year, Annual Report 1994/1995 covers the period between 1 January 1994 to 30 June 1995.
Sources:
AF 37.06.0091
AF 37.06.0109
AF 37.05.0017
AF 38.07.0006
Annual Report 1994/1995
In 2017 the Annual Reports, Financial Statements, State of the Environment Reports and Reports to ratepayers from 1982- 2004 were scanned and made available via Investigator. From 2004/2005 these reports are available on the City's website.
Start Date qual:
Start Date: 01/01/1982
End Date qual:
End Date: NoneRelationship legacy dataCREATED BY: Information Services AG-0004 (01/01/1989 to 31/12/1992) CREATED BY: Parks and Recreations Department AG-0010 (01/01/1982 to 31/12/1983) CREATED BY: Office of the CEO and Councillor Support AG-0107 (01/01/1993) CREATED BY: Civic and Public Affairs Department AG-0009 (01/01/1984 to 31/12/1988) PRECEDED BY: Annual Reports I AS-0042 (01/01/1982) RELATED TO: Publicity and public relations AY-24 (01/01/1982) LanguageEnglish (eng)Archivist noteSome annual report to ratepayers are held in the Sydney Reference Collection. These reports were removed from the SRC in May 2017 and merged with this series or discarded.
Access
Public access statusOpen to public accessPublic access noteAccess Notes:
Restriction Category:
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Identification and Arrangement
Source system ID924System of arrangementChronological
Disposal
Disposal statusArchived
Data Quality
Legacy dataRegistered by: Renato Perdon
Registered date: 04/01/1996
Amendments: Addition of material from the Sydney Reference Collection into consignment 1393 (Naomi Crago)
Last amendment date: 18/05/2017
Other Disposal Instruments: GRDS for Local Government
Bridging aids:
System of arrangements: Chronological
Series control status:
Repository:
UpdatedDate: 26/07/2017
UpdatedUser: Jul 26 2017 3:16PM
Registered date: 04/01/1996
Amendments: Addition of material from the Sydney Reference Collection into consignment 1393 (Naomi Crago)
Last amendment date: 18/05/2017
Other Disposal Instruments: GRDS for Local Government
Bridging aids:
System of arrangements: Chronological
Series control status:
Repository:
UpdatedDate: 26/07/2017
UpdatedUser: Jul 26 2017 3:16PM
Relationships
Source systemBusiness operation system (BOS); Archives investigatorPreceding seriesAnnual Reports ICreating agenciesCivic and Public Affairs DepartmentOffice of the CEO and Councillor SupportParks and Recreations DepartmentInformation ServicesRelated activitiesPublicity and public relations
Registration
Annual Reports II [AS-0924]. City of Sydney Recollect - UAT, accessed 04 Aug 2025, https://cosauat.recollect.net.au/nodes/view/63479