A second resident has come forward to show their request for information from Council resulted in the Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC) ruling that Council breached the legislation.
The IPC investigation pursued a complaint from local historian, Merril Jackson, OAM.
Her story is similar to the problems faced by resident Kevin Brooks as outlined here last week.
In both cases, the IPC ruled their complaints were “justified in full”.
Ms Jackson lodged a complaint with the IPC in January after lodging a Government Information Public Access (GIPA) application with Council in May 2024.
The GIPA application was to obtain information concerning the heritage of the Gosford Library and other relevant Council reports and documentation.
The library is under threat, with council deciding while under administration to demolish it when the new regional library is opened later this year.
Ms Jackson said she had Initial concerns from the outset when the Council referenced her lodgement date incorrectly and several Council emails went to the wrong email address, contrary to the email address provided on the application form.
Council then requested an extension of time to deal with the application.
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In July Council returned the $30 application fee as it had not met the 20 working days timeframe outlined in the legislation of the GIPA Act but said it was still waiting for information from the “relevant business area” and hoped to provide a decision by the end of July.
But over the next months, repeated emails enquiring about the progress of the GIPA application and the anticipated date of release were ignored by Council.
After Ms Jackson complained to the IPC, council requested changes to the original scope of the GIPA request and are still to determine whether or not it will or won’t release any of all what has been requested.
Ms Jackson said the Central Coast community deserves and expects far better, as do all the “honest, diligent and hardworking Council staff”.
One of the Council’s stated aims is “Good governance and great partnerships” which is outlined in more detail as: ‘We’re a responsible Council and community, committed to building strong relationships and delivering a great customer experience in all our interactions.
Ms Jackson said that was not her experience.
“Regaining the trust and confidence of the people a Council represents and serves is paramount, and anything less has no place in the Central Coast Council,” she said.
“The council must engage in better practices and procedures in all areas of governance.
“It is not the people’s role or responsibility to keep the Council honest, transparent and just, as this needs to be an automatic and mandatory discipline within the Council,” Ms Jackson said.
Read last week’s story on this same issue for Kevin Brooks: https://www.cccouncilwatch.com.au/council-rapped-over…/
