Publication Guide and Policy Documents

Publication Guide

Section 20 of the GIPA Act requires Waverley Council to have a Publication Guide. The Guide is intended to provide an outline of Council’s structure, functions, the information it holds and how this can be accessed by the community. The Guide also sets out how members of the community can participate in the formulation of Council policy and the exercise of Council’s functions.

Council adopted its first Publication Guide at its meeting on 16 November 2010. The Guide will be updated annually. In addition, Council will review its approach to the release of information annually to ensure it is making as much information available as possible. .

Policy Documents
Section 23 of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 provides that policy documents are such of the following documents as are used by the agency in connection with the exercise of those functions of the agency that affect or are likely to affect rights, privileges or other benefits, or obligations, penalties or other detriments, to which members of the public are or may become entitled, eligible, liable or subject (but does not include a legislative instrument):

Council's policy documents include:
The model code prescribed under section 440 (1) of the LGA and the code of conduct adopted under section 440 (3) of the LGA,


Information contained in the following records (whenever created) is prescribed as open access information:

(a) returns of the interests of councillors, designated persons and delegates (available in hard copy only. To arrange access contact Council's Governance unit on 9369 8129.)
(b) agendas and business papers for any meeting of the local authority or any committee of the local authority (but not including business papers for matters considered when part of a meeting is closed to the public),
(c) minutes of any meeting of the local authority or any committee of the local authority, but restricted (in the case of any part of a meeting that is closed to the public) to the resolutions and recommendations of the meeting,
(d) Departmental representative reports presented at a meeting of the local authority in accordance with section 433 of the LGA.

Information contained in the current version of the following records is prescribed as open access information:

(a) land register,
(b) register of investments,
(c) register of delegations,
(d) register of graffiti removal work kept in accordance with section 13 of the Graffiti Control Act 2008,
(e) register of current declarations of disclosures of political donations kept in accordance with section 328A of the LGA,
(f) the register of voting on planning matters kept in accordance with section 375A of the LG (available in hard copy only. To arrange access contact Council's Governance unit on 9369 8000).


Information contained in the current version and the most recent previous version of the following records is prescribed as open access information:

(a) local policies adopted by the local authority concerning approvals and orders,
(b) plans of management for community land,
(c) environmental planning instruments, development control plans and contributions plans made under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 applying to land within the local authority’s area.


Information about development applications

(1) Information contained in the following records (whenever created) is prescribed as open access information:
(a) 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 the following:
(i) home warranty insurance documents,
(ii) construction certificates,
(iii) occupation certificates,
(iv) structural certification documents,
(v) town planner reports,
(vi) submissions received on development applications,
(vii) heritage consultant reports,
(viii) tree inspection consultant reports,
(ix) acoustics consultant reports,
(x) land contamination consultant reports,
(b) records of decisions on development applications (including decisions made on appeal),
(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 which 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) A local authority must keep the record referred to in subclause (1) (c).


Information contained in the following records (whenever created) is prescribed as open access information:

(a)applications for approvals under Part 1 of Chapter 7 of the LGA and any associated documents received in relation to such an application,
(b)applications for approvals under any other Act and any associated documents received in relation to such an application,
(c)records of approvals granted or refused, any variation from local policies with reasons for the variation, and decisions made on appeals concerning approvals,
(d) orders given under Part 2 of Chapter 7 of the LGA, and any reasons given under section 136 of the LGA,
(e) orders given under the authority of any other Act,
(f)records of building certificates under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979,
(g)plans of land proposed to be compulsorily acquired by the local authority,
(h)compulsory acquisition notices,
(i)leases and licences for use of public land classified as community land