| Description | Commissioners of Supply, 1736-1929 including Minute Books, 1736-1929
Highway Authorities prior to 1890, 1804-1890 including Trustees under Roads & Bridges (Sc) Act 1878, 1804-1890; County Statute Labour Trustees, 1819-1843
County Clerk's Department, 1890-1975 including County Council minutes, 1890-1975; County Council Committees, 1890-1975; Miscellaneous, 1890-1929
County Treasurer's Department, 1874-1975 including Abstracts of Accounts, 1891-1975; Valuation Rolls, 1874-1975; Registers of Mortgages, 1893-1975
Education, 1863-2003 including Education Authority, 1919-1930; County Secondary Education Committee, 1893-1919; School Boards, 1873-1933; School Management Committees, 1919-1947; School Log Books and Admission Registers, 1863-2003; Education District Sub-Committees, 1949-1975
Parish records, 1845-1939 including Assynt Parochial Board/Parish Council, 1855-1930; Clyne Parochial Board/Parish Council, 1845-1930; Creich Parochial Board/Parish Council, 1880-1939; Dornoch Parochial Board/Parish Council, 1845-1930; Durness Parochial Board/Parish Council, 1845-1930; Eddrachilles Parochial Board/Parish Council, 1845-1930; Golspie Parochial Board/Parish Council, 1845-1930; Kildonan Parochial Board/Parish Council, 1845-1930; Lairg Parochial Board/Parish Council, 1845-1930; Loth Parocial Board/Parish Council, 1856-1930; Rogart Parochial Board/Parish Council, 1845-1930; Tongue Parochial Board/Parish Council, 1845-1930; Farr Parochial Board, 1845-1933
Miscellanea, 1845-1948
Assessor's Office, 1910-1975 including Electoral Registers, 1910-1975 |
| Administrative History | County councils were elected bodies established by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 (52 & 53 Vict., c. 50). They inherited almost all the functions of commissioners of supply, and those of county road trusts and local authorities set up under the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Acts. They also took over some administrative powers from the justices of the peace, but not their licensing or judicial functions. The responsibilities of the commissioners of supply for police matters were transferred to standing joint committees made up of commissioners of supply and county councillors. County councils were required to appoint full-time county medical officers of health and sanitary inspectors, and the local public health functions of parochial boards in landward areas were transferred to district committees of the county councils. The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929 (19 & 20 Geo. V, c. 25) abolished district committees, standing joint committees, commissioners of supply, parish councils, education authorities and other bodies, and transferred all or most of their functions to county councils. The main impact was in the areas of the poor law and education. County councils were now responsible for education everywhere except in the four counties of cities, and for the poor law and public health except in the counties of cities and large burghs. The act also required the councils to prepare a scheme for coverage of their areas by district councils which might have certain functions delegated to them by the county council.
Sutherland County Council was abolished in 1975 and its powers transferred to Highland Regional Council and Sutherland District Council, with the exception of the Tongue and Farr areas, which were initially administered by Highland Regional Council and Caithness District Council. The boundaries were later redrawn to reflect the former county areas, with administration for the Tongue and Farr areas reverting to Sutherland District Council. (Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, c.65). |