Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987

Local authority meetings

51: Right of public to inspect or receive copies of minutes of meeting

You could also call this:

"See or get a copy of meeting notes from your local council"

Illustration for Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987

You can look at the minutes of a local authority meeting at their office during normal hours without paying a fee. You can take notes from these minutes, but only if the meeting was open to the public. If you want a copy of the minutes, you can ask for one and you might need to pay a small fee.

If you want to see the minutes of a meeting that was closed to the public, your request will be treated differently. If the local authority is listed in the Schedule 1, they will deal with your request under this Act. If the local authority is listed in the Schedule 2, they will deal with your request under the Official Information Act 1982. The local authority will then handle your request according to the relevant rules.

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This page was last updated on 18 July 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM123600.

Topics:

Government and voting > Local councilsRights and equality > Privacy

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51AA: Modifications to section 51 while epidemic notice in force for COVID-19, or

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Part 7Local authority meetings

51Right of public to inspect or receive copies of minutes of meeting

Any member of the public may, without payment of fee, at the local authority's office and during normal office hours, inspect the minutes of any meeting or part of any meeting of the local authority (not being a meeting or part of a meeting from which the public was excluded) and may take notes therefrom.
Every member of the public so inspecting any such minutes who requests a copy of any part thereof and tenders the prescribed amount (if any) shall be given such a copy.
Where any person requests a copy of the minutes of any meeting or part of a meeting from which the public was excluded pursuant to this Part, the request shall,—
where the local authority concerned is named or specified in Schedule 1, be deemed to be a request for access to official information made under this Act; and
where the local authority concerned is named or specified in Schedule 2, be deemed to be a request for access to official information made under the Official Information Act 1982,—

Compare

1962 No 113 s 7
1975 No 125 s 6