Public Information
Sometimes information that you need to help solve a difficulty with your council is publicly available. This includes information that councils publish to advertise their activities or to assist the community, as well as information that councils are required, by law, to make available for public inspection.
Required Public Information
The Local Government Act requires a council to make a range of information available for inspection at the council office on request.
Documents available for inspection may be viewed and copied, but not removed. Councils may charge fees for inspection and copying of these documents. It is usually best to make an appointment with your council to arrange an inspection of a document.
There are a large number of documents that councils must make available for public inspection. They include:
- All local laws adopted by the Council
- Agendas for council meetings
- Minutes of council meetings and special committee meetings for the past 12 months(except parts of meetings closed to the public under section 89 of the Act)
- Copies of the council’s Council Plan, Strategic Resource Plan, budget and annual report
- The council’s adopted Code of Conduct for Councillors
- A register of council delegations to special committees and council staff
- Details of allowances fixed for the mayor and councillors
- Names of councillors who submitted returns of interest during the financial year
- Names of council officers required to submit returns of interest during the financial year
- Copies of Campaign Donation Returns lodged by candidates in the last council elections
- A list of donations and grants made by the council during the financial year
- A list of organisations that council was a member of during the financial year
Council web sites
All Victorian councils maintain websites, on the internet, where they publish information about their activities and about other community matters.
Typically councils include copies of documents like council plans, budgets, annual reports, strategic plans and meeting minutes on their websites. Websites often also contain a “Latest News” section, where information about current issues is available.
Websites sites vary and it can sometimes be difficult to find the information you need. If you can’t find the information by using menu options, most sites have either a “search” option and/or an “A-Z Index”, which can be used as alternatives. Council staff may also be able to direct you to the right part of the council’s website to find information you need.
Council publications
Councils also produce publications that include useful information. Publications can include:
- Newsletters that include reports on council projects and services, summaries of documents like the council plan or the budget or information about community activities. Copies of newsletters may be delivered to letterboxes, available on council websites or available at the council office
- Brochures, flyers and booklets relating to various matters are often produces by councils to inform and assist in relation to specific services or activities. These may be available at council offices or service centres. If you are looking for a information about a particular service, you may be able to telephone the council to have a brochure or booklet posted to you
- Advertisements are often placed in local newspapers to give notice of pending decisions, actions or consultations. These are sometimes required by law, such as when it is proposed to close a road or levy a special charge
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