How to request information
Open access
Under section 18 of the GIPA Act certain information is prescribed that must be made available free of charge on Council's website, this includes:
- Policy documents
- Disclosure log of formal access applications
- Agency information guide
- Government contracts register
- Record of open access information that is not made available to the public on the basis of an overriding public interest against disclosure.
Proactive release
Council can make information available to the public free of charge on its website if there is an overriding public interest to do so. This is in addition to the open access information. Information for inclusion under proactive release is reviewed annually.
Some of this information is available on our website free of charge and some information is available in other formats for a small charge.
Refer to Council's fees and charges.
Informal release
If after reviewing Council's website you are still not able to find the information you are looking for, you should make an informal request for information.
There is no fee required to lodge an informal request – however, please be mindful that there may be fees and charges associated with printing and scanning. Refer to Council's fees and charges.
Formal release
You should make a formal access application if you can't access the requested information through the other three ways listed above.
The GIPA Act states that members of the public have a right to access information unless there are overriding public interest considerations in favour of non-disclosure of the information. Examples of where a formal access application is necessary include:
- When searching for and retrieving the information sought would require a substantial amount of resources and time.
- Where the information sought involves details of third parties who must be consulted.
There is a $30 application fee for a formal access application and a processing charge of $30 per hour. The application fee counts towards the first hour of processing. Refer to Council's fees and charges.
Processing time for a formal access application is 20 business days with possible extension.
Additional information
Legal copyright provisions apply to the copying of all documents at Inner West Council. Due to the Copyright Act 1968, there may be documents which may not be copied without consent of the copyright owner. Some of these documents could include certain building plans, publications and consultant's reports.
Copying and scanning charges may apply if documents are available. Refer to Council's fees and charges.
To request the adjoining property owner’s names and postal address for dividing fence or tree matters, please lodge a request through Council's online customer request management system.
We are not obliged to pass on the contact details of adjoining landowners for privacy reasons, unless the request is made under the Dividing Fences Act 1991 and the Environmental Planning and Assessment (Regulation) Act 2000.
Only owner names and forwarding addresses will be provided. Personal contact details (i.e. email address or telephone numbers) of adjoining landowners will not be provided. Land titles details are also available from NSW Land and Property Information NSW Land Registry Services or call 1300 052 637 for a fee.