Access To Information

Your rights to access Council information are provided in the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW) (GIPA Act).
The GIPA Act commenced on 1 July 2010 and replaces the Freedom of Information Act 1989 (NSW) and section 12 of the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW).

Council is committed to open, accountable and transparent government. Under the GIPA Act, Council will proactively publish more information onCouncil'swebsite and improve the efficient release of information.

To access Council's information:
1. Search Council's website to see if the information is already published
Information available on Council's website
Agency Information Guide 2024(PDF, 970KB)
Policy documents
Business Papers and Minutes from council meetings
Integrated Planning and Reporting
Annual Report and Financial Statements
Information about development applications
GIPA Disclosure Log
GIPA Register

Details of unpublished open access information and council's disclosure log.

2. Contact Council and ask for the information
If the information you want is not on Council's website, contact Council and Council will tell you whether the requested information:

Is open access information that is already available and how you can access the information
Can be made available as part of a proactive release of information
Can be disclosed to you through informal release; or
Requires a formal access application.
You can contact Council by emailing

Forms
Please complete one of the following forms to apply for either a formal or informal access to government information under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act).
Formal GIPA Application Form
Informal GIPA Application Form(PDF, 419KB)

If you need help in filling out this form, please contact the Right to Information Officer. 

Fees
If you request a copy of information held by Council, Council may charge a fee to cover photocopying or if Council has an authority to charge a fee. Please refer to Council's fees and charges for more information.

 

Delegations

To allow for efficient and expedient exercise and performance of Council’s powers and duties Council delegates certain authorities to the person holding the position of Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Office delegates authority to staff in various positions.

Delegation to the Mayor

The position of Mayor is delegated to exercise or perform on behalf of the Council the following powers, authorities, duties or functions as well as those specifically described under Section 226 of the Act:-

• Common Seal: The affixing of the Council Seal to any document relating to the business of the Council and upon which Council has resolved to affix the seal.
• Council Seal: Grant and Loan Documents: Authority to affix the Council Seal to documents associated with grant applications and/or grant agreements/deeds and documents associated with loans obtained in accordance with Council's delivery & operational plan.
• Conferences, Seminars and Meetings: To approve (with the General Manager) the attendance of Councillors at any seminar, conference, meeting or training course, where funds have been provided in the budget, provided that such delegation shall not be exercised if there is a Council meeting prior to the closing date of registration unless the Mayor and General Manager are of the view that a delay in registration will preclude Councillors' attendance.
• Correspondence: To sign outgoing correspondence relating to the office of Mayor on behalf of the Council.
• Meeting Recess: To deal (with the General Manager) with matters requiring determination between the last ordinary meeting of the Council for the year and the first ordinary meeting of Council for the following year:

  a) Which do not justify the calling of an extra ordinary meeting of Council.

  b) Authorise any work which in the Mayor's opinion, is urgent and does not exceed $10,000.

  c) Development applications which cannot be approved under officer's delegation require at least four other Councillors to concur to the approval or refusal of the application.

  d) Any decision made under delegation to be reported to the Council at its first meeting of the New Year.

• Media Relations: To advise and respond to enquiries from the media and to issue media releases and statements in respect of the affairs of Council.
• General Manager - Temporary Appointment: To appoint a temporary replacement should the holder of the position of General Manager be sick or absent.
• General Manager -  Leave: To approve leave of absences for the General Manager.
• Power of Expulsion: To expel any person (whether a Councillor or a member of the public) from any meeting of Council where acts of disorder occurred.

(Resolution 23/18 dated 15 February 2018)

Delegation to the Chief Executive Officer

The person holding the position of General Manager, and from time to time, holding the aforementioned position in an acting capacity, is delegated the authority to exercise Council’s powers, functions, duties and authorities arising from the Act and all other acts, regulations and Council policies, subject to the limitation specified in Section 377 (1) of the Local Government Act.

(Resolution 23/18 dated 15 February 2018)

Delegations to Staff

The current delegations issued by the Chief Executive Officer to staff are listed in the  Delegations Register(XLSX, 1MB).

 

Our disclosure log(PDF, 356KB)  is a record of information that the council has released in response to a formal access application from an individual or organisation that the department thinks could also be of interest to other members of the public. The council will usually include only non-personal information on the log.

The disclosure log sets out the date the decision was made to release the information; a description of the information released; and details about whether that information is currently available and how it can be accessed.

Be aware that the log lists the information requested, relevant to a specific time and may not contain the most up-to-date version of the information.

Our disclosure log is continuously updated as additional information is released under the GIPA Act.

In deciding to release information in response to a GIPA access application, consistent with the GIPA Act consideration is to be given to personal factors of the application as outlined in section 55 of the GIPA Act. Where other members of the public request access to the released information described on the disclosure log, the council may delete certain information relating to the original applicant's personal information; business, commercial, professional or financial interests; research carried out by or on behalf of the applicant; or information concerning the affairs of another government. Depending on the work required and costs involved to make parts of the released information available to others, the council may require an access application to be lodged in some circumstances.

 

Section 4.8 of the Code of Conduct identifies who can be a designated person, this includes Councillors, the CEO, other senior staff (s332 of the LGA) and members of staff who hold a position that has been identified by council as the position involves the exercise of functions (such as regulatory or contractual).

2023

Register of Disclosures by Councillors(PDF, 12MB)

Disclosure by the CEO(PDF, 735KB)

Register of Disclosures by Designated Person(PDF, 61MB)

 

2022
Register of Disclosures by Councillors(PDF, 4MB)
Disclosure by the CEO(PDF, 600KB)
Register of Disclosures by Designated Persons(PDF, 18MB)

2021
Register of Disclosures by Councillors(PDF, 12MB)
Disclosure by the CEO(PDF, 396KB)
Register of Disclosures by Designated Persons(PDF, 54MB)

2020
Register of Disclosures by Councillors(PDF, 9MB)
Disclosure by the CEO(PDF, 640KB)
Register of Disclosures by Designated Persons(PDF, 197MB)

2019
Register of Disclosures by Councillors(PDF, 68MB)
Disclosure by the CEO(PDF, 230KB)
Register of Disclosures by Designated Person(PDF, 68MB)