PROVIDING ratepayers with access to information is the responsibility of both councillors and unelected officers, a university lecturer believes.

During last year's mayoral by-election Andrew Antoniolli promised increased transparency and accountability.

The Ipswich City Council is progressively implementing the recommendations of an independent governance review.

The Office of Information Commissioner is also reviewing the council's operations under the Right to Information and Information Privacy Acts.

Griffith University School of Humanities senior lecturer Paul Williams said it was the role of officers and councillors to improve processes.

"It's incumbent on every member of the council, both elected representatives and unelected executives, the CEOs and staff, it's incumbent on them to be proactive in being more transparent with the public and being more accessible to the public," he said.

Dr Williams said for the greatest success, residents also needed to show an interest in the operations and decisions of councils.

He said Local Government was considered the "poor cousin" of the three tiers of government, often causing residents to focus on other areas.

"You've got to remind voters, especially in the southeast where we tend to get overwhelmed by state and federal politics, that local council is literally our grassroots representatives," he said.

"It's incumbent on us voters to get in contact with our councils to find out more about what councils are saying and doing - which councillor is voting for this and which councillor is voting for that."

Dr Williams called for the chief executive officer and staff to do their bit and make councils "genuinely, local representative organic organisations that can respond to local ratepayers' needs".

"That's a bit idealistic but that's the goal," he said.

Dr Williams believed the further away the council from Brisbane, the less transparency was available.

But he said voters in regional areas were more interested in local politics.

"People tend to be more into their council, the local ratepayers become affectionate or angry," he said.

"They're more passionate about local politics the further you get away from the capital city."

To lodge a submission to the Office of Information Commissioner about the council's operations visit surveymonkey.com/r/OICICC.

Submissions close on February 5.

The commissioner will report findings to the State Government and provide advice to the council.