Priorities Committee. Governance Review. Overview of the Governance Discussion Paper

Transcription

1 Overview of the Governance Discussion Paper

2 Why should Council review its governance structure? P Properly aligned with the goals and strategic priorities of Council; P Structured to develop and formulate clear and meaningful policies; P Adequately equipped, resources and able to monitor those policies; and, P Ensure the administrative structure is in sync to deliver on those goals and strategic priorities.

3 The Principal Elements that constitute Good Governance

4 What is Council s Role? P To set overall directions for the municipality through longterm planning; P To legislate and make decision in areas of which they have legislative authority; P To develop and implement policies; P To ensure that the activities of staff and the community are guided by those policies; P To ensure that individual Councillors, or Council, can effectively represent their constituents and communities on matters of concern to those communities;

5 What is Council s Role? P That local government advocate on behalf of their constituencies and communities to other levels of government and other authorities and parties; and, P To ensure the delivery of quality services for which they have responsibility.

6 Effective Council Meetings P Content P Process P Style

7 What is required for a Good Council Decision? P Time required by staff to collect, process and evaluate information that will result in a recommendation and ultimately a Council decision. P Allowing sufficient time for Council to absorb staff s information, to evaluate the potential outcome and impact of a decision, and time to consult with the public and constituents.

8 What is required for a Good Council Decision? P Each Council Member must do the necessary homework and come to meetings prepared. That means having read the staff report and background material to understand and evaluate staff recommendations. P Well crafted and thorough staff reports contribute to making the right decision.

9 Why Use a Committee System? P provides a forum for information gathering; P allows Council as a whole to take advantage of expertise; specialization, and division of labour of its members to improve policy making; P builds stable coalitions before bringing recommendations to Council; P offers Councillors added control over selected policy areas that may be of particular concern to their constituents or themselves; and, P makes the Council's policy making process open to the public.

10 How should a Committee System be structured? P Councillors to understand what is ongoing and where flexibility exists; P Councillors to raise issues of importance and have them discussed; P appropriate exchanges between elected members and the administration in order to increase knowledge and understanding; P community input - particularly early in the process - so that it can be considered by the decision makers

11 How should a Committee System be structured? P understanding of the financial context - that is, what is possible; P Councillors having the ability to monitor, evaluate and review existing policies; P Councillors to be told how the public will be made aware of its decisions and what it will mean to them as citizens and taxpayers; P Councillors being able to get a "hearing" on their ward issues;

12 How should a Committee System be structured? P when a Councillor has advocated ward/constituent issues at an open meeting of Council but has not been successful, the reasons should be explained frankly; P ensuring that advice takes the political context into account; P providing necessary opportunities for Councillors to participate in opinion formation and be briefed on key issues.

13 Option #2 - Revamp the Priorities Committee Step 1 - A Clear Mandate P exercise strategic leadership of Council; P promote the core values of Council; P to develop new policies, monitor new and existing policies, and evaluate existing policies consistent with the overall strategic vision of Council; P to request or commission research or other studies on matters of policy or service provision

14 Option #2 - Revamp the Priorities Committee Step 1 - A Clear Mandate P to be the primary forum for the facilitation of public participation and consultation; P to ensure the effective communication of Council policies and strategies; P to set targets for service delivery to include monitoring and evaluating service delivery; P to prepare responses to consultation papers issued by other levels of government and organizations.

15 Option #2 - Revamp the Priorities Committee Step 2 - Clear the Decks P Remove Managers Reports and Information Reports from the Agenda P Deal only with: Policy Creation; Policy Implementation; Policy Evaluation; and Policy Review.

16 Option #2 - Revamp the Priorities Committee Step 3 - How-To - The Mechanics P Reschedule to the off week of Council P Increase number of meetings: one in August & December P Rotate Priorities Chair amongst Members of Council P Meet from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. P Part I - Agenda (5 to 7) - Policy Discussion Papers P Part II - Agenda (7 to 9) - Public Participation & Presentations

17 Option #2 - Revamp the Priorities Committee Step 3 - How-To - The Mechanics P Policy Discussion Papers: first presentation contains draft recommendations only and not presented for adoption by the Committee; second meeting - presentation of final report with adoptable recommendations use of three to five page briefing note for larger policy papers.

18 Option #2 - Revamp the Priorities Committee Step 3 - How-To - The Mechanics P use of regular Councillor Briefing Sessions for Part I section of Agenda P not a forum for decision making but an opportunity for Councillor to seek detail and raise questions.

19 Option #2 - Revamp the Priorities Committee Step 3 - How-To - The Mechanics P Part II of the Agenda (7 to 9) would be allocated to the Public and Citizen Groups to appear as Delegations Only: Sponsored by a Councillor Must address a policy issue within the jurisdiction of Council Speak to a specific policy of Council; a need for a new policy or a change to an existing policy; information Delegations would appear at Council May appear only once in a year

20 Option #2 - Revamp the Priorities Committee Step 3 - How-To - The Mechanics P Part II - Delegations not be dealt with at the meeting it is presented but referred to the appropriate General Manager Meet with meet with the Delegation, Ward Councillor, City staff or other interested parties to resolve the matter; If resolved and not further action required; General; Manager reports back to Council by an information report; and, If the further action required Council, then the General Manager brings a Policy Discussion Paper to Priorities.

21 Option #2 - Revamp the Priorities Committee Other Uses of the Priorities Committee P Councillor Orientation following each municipal election P Annual Council Retreat. P CAO s Annual Report to Council and Citizens of Greater Sudbury.

22 Other matters which ought to be considered by this Council P Self review, focusing on the following: service delivery; the process by which policy decisions have been taken; the substance of a particular policy; how it fits with the overall objectives of Council; and the effectiveness of a policy in terms of implementation.

23 Other matters which ought to be considered by this Council P Staff Reports, focusing on the following: Issue identification; Financial and resource implications; Internal/External consultation; Recommendations - that are expressed in a form that can be moved and become a clear and unambiguous resolution of Council; Implementation and communication; and Evaluation.

24 Other matters which ought to be considered by this Council P Establish a Policy Analysis Team from existing staff. P Councillor Information Requests. P Governance Statement. P Public Consultation Policy. P Communications Policy. P Councillor Resources.

25 Overview of the Governance Discussion Paper