Council will publish mandatory release, information on its website unless there is an overriding public interest against disclosure or do so would impose an unreasonable additional cost on Council. In respect of the latter the Council will make the information freely available in another format eg hard copy at the Council Administration Office. The open access information is:

Council's policy documents;

• a Publication Guide with information about the council's structure and functions, and listing the type of information that is publicly available;
• a disclosure log of formal access applications where in council's opinion the information released may be of interest to other members of the public
• a register of contracts worth more than $150,000 that councils have with private sector bodies
• a record of open access information that council does not make publicly available on the basis of an overriding public interest against disclosure
• In addition schedule 5 of the GIPA Act requires that certain documents held by council, are to be made publicly available for inspection, free of charge. The public is entitled to inspect these documents either on Council's website or at the offices of the Council during ordinary office hours or at any other place
• as determined by the Council. Any current and previous documents of this type may be inspected by the public free of charge. Copies can be supplied for reasonable copying charges.

View the GIPA Publication Guide here.

These documents are:

1. Information about Council

• The model code of conduct prescribed under section 440(1) of the Local Government Act
• Council's adopted Code of Conduct
• Code of Meeting Practice
• Annual Report
• Annual Financial Reports
• Auditor's Report
• Management Plan
• Diversity Committee Plan
• Policy concerning the Payment of Expenses and Provision of Facilities to the Mayor and Councillors
• Annual Reports of Bodies Exercising Functions Delegated by Council (e.g. Section 355/377 Committees)
• Any Codes referred to in the Local Government Act
• Returns of the Interests of Councillors, Designated Persons and Delegates
• Agendas, Business Papers and Minutes of Council/Committee meetings (except meetings that are closed to the public)Division of Local Government, NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet Representative Reports presented at a meeting of Council
• Land Register, to obtain a copy of Council's Land Register please contact Council's Administration Office on (02) 6740 2100
• Register of Investment
• Register of Delegations
• Register of Graffiti Removal Work
• Register of current Declarations of Disclosures of Political Donations
• Register of Voting on Planning Matter
• Register of Naming of Public Infrastructure

2. Plans and Policies

• Local Policies adopted by Council concerning approvals and orders
• Plans of Management for Community Land
• Environmental Planning Instruments, Development Control Plans and Contribution Plans

3. Information about Development Applications

Development Applications and any associated documents received in relation to a proposed development, eg:

• Home Warranty Insurance documents
• Construction Certificates
• Occupation Certificates
• Structural Certification Documents
• Town Planner Reports
• Submissions received on Development Applications
• Heritage Consultant Reports
• Tree Inspections Consultant Reports
• Acoustic Consultant Reports
• Land Contamination Consultant Reports
• Records of decisions on Development Applications including decisions on appeals
• Records describing the general nature of documents that Council decides to exclude from public view after application of public interest test considerations

4. Approvals, Orders and Other Documents

• Applications for approvals under part 7 of the LGA
• Applications for approvals under any other Act and any associated documents received
• Records of approvals granted or refused, any variation from Council Policies with reasons for the variation, and decisions made on appeals concerning approvals
• Orders given under Part 2 of Chapter 7 of the LGA, and any reasons given under section 136 of the LGA
• Orders given under the Authority of any other Act
• Records of Building Certificates under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979
• Plans of land proposed to be compulsorily acquired by Council
• Compulsory Acquisition Notices
• Leases and Licenses for use of Public Land classified as Community Land
• Copies of documents provided are given for information purposes only and are provided by Council to meet its requirements under relevant legislation. Copyright laws still apply to each document. The copyright-owner's consent is required if any part of the document is used for any other purpose.

In addition, from time to time Council will make as much other information as possible publicly available in an appropriate manner, including on their website. The information will be available free of charge or at the lowest reasonable cost. Such other information includes frequently requested information or information of public interest that has been released as a result of other requests.

Council will endeavour to release other information in response to an informal request, subject to any reasonable conditions as Council thinks fit to impose. However, notwithstanding the lodgement of an informal application, Council may require a formal access application to be submitted where the information sought:

• is of a sensitive nature that requires careful weighing of the considerations in favour of and against disclosure, or
• contains personal or confidential information about a third party that requires consultation, or
• would involve an unreasonable amount of time and resources to produce.

Disclosure of Interest Returns

Council’s Returns of Interest of Councillors and Designated Persons is available as open access information in accordance with the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA).
This document may be inspected, free of charge, at Council’s Administration Building. Please contact Council on 02 6740 2100 to arrange an inspection.