Stephen Vance, Staff
The Municipality of Meaford is developing new codes of conduct for councillors, municipal boards and committees, and also for volunteers.
Meaford first adopted a code of conduct in 2007, and that code was amended in 2011 with the elimination of the role of Integrity Commissioner as well as the introduction of an internal complaint process.
Council’s strategic priorities also identified the review of Council’s Code of Conduct and the establishment of an Advisory Committee Code of Conduct as actions under the Leading in Municipal Government strategic priority. Since the election of the current council in 2014, four advisory committees have been established, and the new code of conduct being developed will apply to those committees.
Meaford’s Clerk, Rob Tremblay, made a presentation to council at their April 4 meeting outlining the scope of the policy being developed.
“Bill 8, the Public Sector and MPP Accountability and Transparency Act, 2014, received final reading and Royal Assent in December 2014 and took effect on January 1, 2016. The Bill received public attention as it relates to new powers provided to the Provincial Ombudsman. Bill 8 provides the Ontario Ombudsman power to investigate complaints involving “any decision, recommendation, act or omission in the course of the administration of a public sector body”. In addition, the Ombudsman is also able to investigate “systemic” administrative matters,” advised Tremblay in his report to council.
Tremblay said that clerks in Grey County worked together to review existing Codes of Conduct to ensure uniformity in language within the county and between lower and upper tier. He also said that the Ombudsman has called on municipalities to provide local resolution mechanisms.
“Given the Ombudsman’s wide role in looking at systemic issues, and encouraging you to have local resolution mechanisms, having codes of conduct to deal with your volunteers and advisory committee members as well as council allows you to have a local resolution mechanism, and the Ombudsman has been on record to say that they are an office of last resort. So you are basically doing your due diligence here by creating mechanisms at the local level,” Tremblay told council during his presentation.
Tremblay told council that “volunteers and advisory committee members play an important role as partners and ambassadors for the Municipality of Meaford. The development of a Code allows for the clear enunciation of values and expectations. Staff reviewed codes from other municipalities, notably the City of Ottawa and Town of Collingwood. The Advisory Committee & Volunteer Code of Conduct is also based on the Council & Local Board Code of Conduct with necessary modifications and adaptations.”
Members of council were pleased with the progress in developing the new codes of conduct.
“This whole procedure sets a set of rules for everybody in the municipality from the mayor, to the CAO, council, volunteers, media, and anybody in the municipality to work towards harmony, to better the municipality, and you do need a set of rules and regulations and policy in order to do that, and I really appreciate you for bringing this forward,” offered Councillor Steven Bartley.
Before council gives final approval to the new codes of conduct, a focus group comprised of two members from each of the four advisory committees and other engaged volunteers was scheduled to take place this week in order to review the draft Code of Conduct for Advisory Committees & Volunteers. The group will also be asked to provide feedback and insight into their contributions, understanding of the municipality’s corporate values, and views as community and municipal ambassadors. Any feedback received will be reviewed and considered prior to final approval on April 18.
