There are two forms of information you can request:
Please note that property file information is requested separately to official information requests.
Council is committed to conducting its day-to-day business openly and making decision-making processes and information available and accessible.
Much of the Council's information is available in print or is on the website within reports(external link), consultation documents and material for the media.
Please be as specific as possible as it helps us find the information quicker. If we are unclear about the scope or nature of your request we will contact you to discuss it. If your request is complex it may require staff to research internal documents and records.
Email [email protected] if you have any queries about official information requests (LGOIMA).
We will acknowledge your request as soon as practical after receiving it. We are required by the LGOIMA legislation to respond to your request within 20 working days. If the request is for a large quantity of information or requires consultation, and meeting the original time limit is not possible, the Act allows for an extension of the time limit. We will let you know if this is the case before the original due date.
If the information you seek is held by another government agency, we will transfer your request and let you know this within 10 days of receiving your request.
You may ask that your request is treated as urgent. We require you to provide a suitable reason for this and we will try and process your request as soon as possible.
We may charge for official information in accordance with the Fees and Charges schedule in the Council’s Annual Plan.
The first hour and the first 20 pages of information are free.
After that, staff time will be charged at a rate of $60.00 per half hour. Copying will be charged at the normal applicable rate, which is detailed on the fees and charges page.
Under clause 13(4) of LGOIMA, the Council can request that the amounts due be paid in advance of the release of the requested information.
Land Information Memorandums (LIMs) are covered by section 44A of LGOIMA and are subject to a separate timeframe and charging regime.
There are several major reasons for withholding requests for information made under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987.
Making the information available would be likely to:
The Council is required to assess whether each of the following withholding reasons is outweighed by other considerations which render it desirable in the public interest to make the information available.
Withholding the information is necessary to:
Note: If a non natural person (such as a company or organisation) makes a request for its personal information, it has a right to access that information (under section 23) unless one of the grounds for refusal in section 26 apply.
If you are not satisfied with the information you receive following a request under LGOIMA, you can complain to the Office of the Ombudsman.
If you are not happy with the outcome of your request made under the Privacy Act you can contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.
Often information that is requested can be found in public documents or records, such as the following:
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