| AdminHistory | The Highways and Sewerage Committee was established in 1864 under the General Highways Act of 1862 to replace the township Highways Boards.
The Highway and Sewerage Committee was responsible for the construction and maintenance of roadways, sewers and drains, as well as the management of the purification and disposal of the sewage of the city. It was also responsible for managing encroachments on and the pollution of rivers and streams as well as obstructions, projections (vaults, arches or cellars) under the roadways; the erection of new buildings, improvement of street lines, ruinous or dangerous buildings, dedication of private streets, water and gas mains etc. Architectural services were also monitored by this committee e.g. the city hospital plans.
The Sewerage and Rivers Committee took over responsibility for sewerage, drainage and the disposal of sewage under the Public Health Act of 1875. Such powers were previously held by the Highways Committee.
From May 1960 the committee was renamed the Highways Committee. In Jun 1967 it reverted back to its original name of Highways and Sewerage.
In 1968 the Committee's responsibilities for control of the major roads programme, design of the main road network and for traffic management, including pedestrian movement and safety, were merged with the Transport Committee to form the Traffic and Transport Committee. Its remaining functions were merged with parts of the Public Works and Cleansing and Baths committees to form the Works Committee. |