Access to Information
Prior to submitting an Informal, Open or Formal Access application form, please contact the Records team for advice on 9952 8222 as this will assist us to understand your needs.
Please note, at times council experiences larger volumes of information requests, which may cause delays with informal or Open-Access requests for information. Staff will endeavour to complete your request as quickly as possible and a staff member will contact you as soon as it is completed, noting that it may be a couple of months before your request is processed during particularly busy periods. Formal applications under the GIPA will be dealt with in accordance with statutory timeframes.
We thank you for your patience and apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Council is required to provide appropriate access to information under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA) which commenced on 1 July 2010. This new Act replaces the Freedom of Information Act and Section 12 of the Local Government Act 1993 (LGA).
What council documents are available for you to inspect?
Schedule 5 of the GIPA Act specifically identifies the following types of Council documents to be made available for inspection free of charge at Council offices during ordinary office hours.
Codes, Plans, Policies and Reports
- Model Code as prescribed under Section 440(1) of the LGA
- Code of Conduct adopted under Section 440(3) of the LGA
- Code of Meeting Practice
- Annual Report
- Annual Financial Reports
- Auditor's Report
- Management Plan
- EEO Management Plan
- Policy concerning the payment of expenses incurred by, and the provision of facilities to, Councillors
- Annual Reports of bodies exercising functions delegated by Council
- Any Codes referred to in the LGA
Information contained in the following records (whenever created):
- Returns of the interests of Councillors, designated persons and delegates
- Agendas and business papers for any meeting of the Council or any Committee (but not including business papers for matters considered when part of a meeting is closed to the public)
- Minutes of any meeting of the Council or any Committee but restricted (in case of any part of a meeting that is closed to the public) to the resolutions and recommendations of the meeting
- Departmental representatives' reports presented at a meeting of Council in accordance with Section 433 of the LGA.
Information contained in the current version of the following records:
-
Land Register
- Register of Investments
- Register of Delegations
- Councillor Discretionary Fund Register
- Register of graffiti removal work kept in accordance with Section 13 of the Graffiti Control Act 2008
- Register of current declarations of disclosure of political donations kept in accordance with Section 328A of the LGA
- Register of voting on planning matters kept in accordance with Section 375A of the LGA.
Information contained in the current version and the most recent previous version of the following records:
- Local policies adopted by Council concerning approvals and orders
- Plans of Management for community land
- Environmental Planning instruments, Development Control Plans and Contribution Plans made under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 applying to land within local government are for the City of Ryde.
Planning and Development Documents
Not withstanding that access to development applications is available for viewing during the submission period under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 No 203, information contained in the following records (created since July 2010) is available.
Development applications (within the meaning of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979) and any associated documents received in relation to a proposed development including:
- Home warranty insurance documents
- Construction Certificates
- Occupation Certificates
- Structural certification documents
- Town planner reports
- Submissions received on development applications
- Heritage consultants reports
- Tree inspection consultant reports
- Acoustic consultant reports
- Land contamination reports
- Records of decisions on development applications (including those made on appeal).
Documents that are not available are:
- The plans for any residential part of a proposed building, other than plans that merely show its height and its external configuration in relation to the site on which it is proposed to be erected.
- 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.
Approvals, orders and other documents
Information contained in the following records:
- Applications for approvals under Part 1 of Chapter 7 of the LGA and any associated documents received in relation to such an application
- Applications for approvals under any other Act and any associated documents received in relation to such an application
- Records of approvals granted or refused, any variation from local 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 licences for the use of public land classified as community land.
Many of the above documents are available on Council’s website.
Council must comply with various key legislation in particular with the Local Government Act 1993, Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 and Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1997.
Forms
Prior to submitting an access application form, please contact the Records team for advice on 9952 8222.
Find out more
For any further enquiries on what information is available or how to access certain information, please contact Council’s Customer Service Centre on 9952 8222, Monday to Friday from 8am - 5.30pm.
Council has appointed specific Officers to fulfil statutory roles and to receive enquiries or requests on particular matters.
The roles and the officer contacts are as follows:
Public Officer | General Counsel - 9952 8222
Requests from public on affairs of Council, assist with enquiries or requests for access to information.
Privacy Contact Officer | General Counsel - 9952 8222
Manage and uphold Council’s obligations under Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998.
Public Interest Disclosure Co-ordinator | Manager People & Culture - 9952 8222
Manage and co-ordinate disclosures under the Public Interest Disclosures Act 1994.
Right to Information Officer | 9952 8222
To assist with enquiries or requests for access to information and to receive and co-ordinate formal requests for information under GIPA Act.
Fraud and Corruption Prevention Officer | Manager Corporate Governance - 9952 8222
To receive enquiries or complaints in respect of matters relating to possible fraud or corruption in Council’s operations.
Child Protection Disclosures Co-ordinator | Manager People & Culture - 9952 8222
To receive and manage any complaints lodged under the Childcare (Care and Protection) Act 1987.
National Competition Policy Complaints Handling Officer | Chief Financial Officer - 9952 8222
Manages complaints in respect of competitive neutrality of City of Ryde’s business activities