You have the right to request official information held by Council under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA). Official information includes all information held by Council in any form.
Making a request for official information
Gisborne District Council is committed to openness and transparency. We make a wide range of information available on our website, but if you can't find what you need, you're welcome to request it from us.
You can make an official information request in writing or verbally. Whatever method you choose, please be as specific as possible, this helps us find the correct information quickly. Make sure to include a postal or email address so we can provide you with a response.
How to make a request
Online: complete our online form below
Email: officialinformation@gdc.govt.nz
Phone: 0800 653 800 or +64 06 867 2049
In person: 15 Fitzherbert Street, Gisborne
Post: Gisborne District Council, PO Box 747, Gisborne 4010
All requests are managed under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA).
We'll acknowledge your request and aim to provide the information within 20 working days, as required under LGOIMA.
You can use the working day calculator on the Office of the Ombudsman's website to check when the 20-day timeframe expires.
If your request is complex, requires significant research and collation, or involves consultation with other parties, we may need to extent the timeframe. If that happens, we'll let you know and explain the reason for the extension.
If your request is urgent, please tell us why so we can consider your timeframe.
We may withhold information for specific reasons se out in sections 6 and 7 of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act. If we withhold any information, we'll explain the reason why.
Information may be withheld if releasing it would:
- Prejudice law enforcement, the maintenance of law, or fair trial rights.
- Endanger the safety of any person.
- Compromise personal privacy.
- Reveal confidential or commercially sensitive information.
- Offend tikanga Māori or disclose the location of wāhi tapu.
- Prejudice public health or safety.
- Compromise legal professional privilege.
- Disadvantage Council in negotiations or commercial activities.
- Enable improper gain or advantage.
Most requests are free. However, if your request is large, complex or requires substantial research and collation, Council may charge for the time and resources required. Any charges will follow the Ministry of Justice guidelines.
Under these guidelines you're entitled to:
- the first hour of staff time free
- 20 pages of photocopying free
- charges for any additional time (beyond the first hour) at $38 per half hour
- charges for additional copying, based on the photocopying/printing rates in our Fees and Charges
- recovery of any actual costs such as reproducing photographs or specialist materials.
If we need to charge you, we'll let you know the estimated cost before starting work on your request. You can then decide whether to continue, refine or withdraw your request. In some cases, we may ask for part-payment in advance.
If you're unhappy with a decision to withhold information, to charge a fee, to extend the timeframe for your request, or if you have concerns about how we have managed your request, you can ask for a review by the Office of the Ombudsman.
For more information of how we manage interactions with customers, you can read our Unreasonable Complainant Conduct Policy
Individuals have the right to access their own personal information held by Council free of charge.
These requests are covered by the Privacy Act 2020, which sets out how we collect, use, store and disclose personal information.
If you want to request your own personal information, you can contact us using the same methods listed above.