Government Information Public Access
On 1 July 2010 new right to information came into effect, replacing the former Freedom of Information law.
The new law:
- creates new rights to information that are designed to meet community expectations of more open and transparent government
- encourages government agencies to proactively release government information
You can find out more about your right to information and new ways to access NSW government information on the Office of the Information Commissioner website at www.oic.nsw.gov.au
Accessing Leichhardt Council's information
Leichhardt Council publishes a range of information as required under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009.
These are either listed below, with links to the documents, or available for viewing at the Council Administration Building.
Contact Council on 9367 9222 to make an appointment to view the documents, if they are not listed below.
The right to information reforms mean that formal applications for access to information should be a last resort.
To access information from Leichhardt Council:
- search our website to see if it is online
- contact Council on 9367 9222 or on email at leichhardt@lmc.nsw.gov.au and ask for the information.
Council staff will decide whether the information you want:
- is open access information that is readily available. If it is, they will advise you of where and how you can get the information.
- should be made available as part of a 'proactive release' of information.
- can be disclosed to you through 'informal release', for example where no third party personal information is involved.
- requires a 'formal access application', for example because consultation with a third party is required.
If a formal access application is required, please complete the form below
Government Information (Public Access) Act application form (25.29kB)
Below is the list of documents Council is required to proactively make publicly available;
1. Information about Leichhardt Council
- (a) Code of Conduct (143.99kB)
- (b) Code of Meeting Practice (242.86kB)
- (c) Annual Report 2010-2011 (1.30MB)
- (d) Annual Financial Reports, including (e) the Auditor's Report Financial Statements 2010 - 2011 (1.89MB)
- (f) Delivery Program/Management Plan - The Program was adopted by Council at its meeting on 28 June 2011. A copy is available for viewing at Council's Administration Building. Contact Council's Financial Accountant on 9367 9142 for access to the document.
- (g) Equal Employment Opportunity Plan (25.71kB)
- (h) Policy concerning the payment of expenses incurred by, and the provision of facilities to, Councillors
Payment of Expenses and Provision of Facilities to Councillors (47.83kB)
- (i) Annual Reports of bodies exercising functions delegated by the Council
These are available at Council by contacting the Manager Administration Services on 9367 9121.
- (j) Any Codes referred to in the Local Government Act
These are available at Council by contacting the Manager Administration Services on 9367 9121.
- (2) (a) Returns of interests of Councillors, designated persons and delegates
These are available at Council by contacting the Manager Administration Services on 9367 9121.
- (b) Agendas, business papers and (c) minutes of Council meetings
Click here to be taken to Council and Committee Meeting agendas/business papers and minutes.
- (d) Departmental representative reports presented at a meeting of Council in accordance with Section 433 of the Local Government Act
These are available at Council by contacting the Manager Administration Services on 9367 9121.
- (3) (a) Land Register
This is available at Council by contacting the Manager Administration Services on 9367 9121.
- (b) Register of Investments
This is available at Council by contacting the Manager Administration Services on 9367 9121.
- (c) Register of Delegations
This is available at Council by contacting the Manager Administration Services on 9367 9121.
- (d) Register of graffiti removal work kept in accordance with Section 13 of the Graffiti Control Act 2008
This is available at Council by contacting the Manager Administration Services on 9367 9121.
- (e) Register of current declarations of disclosures of political donations kept in accordance with Section 328A of the Local Government Act
These are provided on the Election Funding Authority website. The Department of Local Government has advised that providing a link to the Election Funding Authority website will satisfy Section 328A. Click here to be taken to the Election Funding Authority website.
- (f) The register of voting on planning matters kept in accordance with Section 375A of the Local Government Act.
The record of voting is recorded in the Council Minutes of the Building and Development Council Meetings and also for the Ordinary Meetings of Council. The agendas/business papers, and minutes can be viewed by clicking here to be taken to the Council and Committee Meeting agendas/business papers and minutes section on the website.
2. Plans and Policies
- (a) Local policies adopted by Council concerning approvals and orders
These are available at Council by contacting the Manager Administration Services on 9367 9121.
- (b) Plans of management concerning approvals and orders
These are available at Council by contacting the Manager Administration Services on 9367 9121.
- (c) Environmental planning instruments, development control plans and contributions plans made under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 applying to land within the Leichhardt Municipality
These are available at Council by contacting the Manager Administration Services on 9367 9121.
3. Information about Development Applications
- (a) Development applications and any associated documents received in relation to a proposed development including the following: home warranty insurance documents, construction certificates, occupation certificates, structural certification documents, town planner reports, submissions received on development applications, heritage consultant reports, tree inspection consultant reports, acoustics consultant reports, land contamination consultant reports
Click here to be taken to Council's Application Tracking Online for information relating to development applications.
- (b) Records of decisions on development applications (including decisions made on appeal)
These are available at Council by contacting the Manager Administration Services on 9367 9121.
- (c) A record that describes the general nature of the documents that the local authority decides are excluded from the operation of this clause by subclause (2).
(2) This clause does not apply to so much of the information referred to in subclause (1) (a) as consists of:
(a) the plans and specifications for any residential parts of a proposed building, other than plans that merely show its height and its external configuration in relation to the site on wich it is proposed to be erected, or
(b) commercial information, if the information would be likely to prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it or to reveal a trade secret.
(3) Council must keep the record referred to in sublause (1) (c).
4. Approvals, orders and other documents
(a) Applications for approvals under Part 1 of Chapter 7 of the Local Government Act and any associated documents received in relation to such an application
These are available at Council by contacting the Manager Administration Services on 9367 9121.
(b) Applications for approvals under any other Act and any associated documents received in relation to such an application
These are available at Council by contacting the Manager Administration Services on 9367 9121.
(c) Records of approvals granted or refused, any variation from local policies with reasons for the variation, and decisions made on appeals concerning approvals.
These are available at Council by contacting the Manager Administration Services on 9367 9121.
(d) Orders given under Part 2 Chapter 7 of the Local Government Act, and any reasons given under Section 136 of the Local Government Act.
These are available at Council by contacting the Manager Administration Services on 9367 9121.
(e) Orders given under the authority of any other Act.
These are available at Council by contacting the Manager Administration Services on 9367 9121.
(f) Records of building certificates under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.
These are available at Council by contacting the Manager Administration Services on 9367 9121.
(g) Plans of land proposed to be compulsorily acquired by Council.
These are available at Council by contacting the Manager Administration Services on 9367 9121.
(h) Compulsory acquisition notices.
These are available at Council by contacting the Manager Administration Services on 9367 9121.
(i) Leases and licences for use of public land classified as community land.
These are available at Council by contacting the Manager Administration Services on 9367 9121.
Other Open Access Information
(a) Council's current publication guide
Leichhardt Council Publication Guide - July 2011 (122.24kB)
(b) Information about Council contained in any document tabled in Parliament by or on behalf of Council, other than any document tabled by order of either House of Parliament
(c) Council's Policy documents
Click here to be taken to Council's Policy Register which includes various Policy documents.
(d) The agency's disclosure log of access applications.
Disclosure log as at December 2010 - GIPA Act Disclosure log (20.88kB)
(e) Council's Register of Government contracts
Council has already been including details of Government contracts on our website.
Click here to view details.
(f) Council's record of the open access information (if any) that is does not make publicly available on the basis of an overriding public interest against disclosure
See Disclosure log under (d) above for details.