The Procedure Bylaw, Bylaw No. 9004 requires the committee system to be reviewed after each general election. With the recent election of a new City Council, it is timely to make changes to the existing committee structure.
Strategic Impacts
The proposed realignment of the main Committees of Council is designed to:
· Better align city operations and services with each designated committee; and
· Provide for a more efficient and streamlined decision-making process.
There are no financial, environmental, accessibility or legal/risk impacts.
Option #1 – Recommended
The main committees of Council would be reduced from seven to four:
· Disestablish the Priorities & Planning Committee (P&P) and the Finance & Administration Committee (F&A) and transfer their respective responsibilities to Executive Committee
· Establish the Operations & Community Services Committee from the dis-establishment of the Community & Protective Services Committee (COS) and the Public Works Committee (PWI) and the transfer of their respective responsibilities
· Confirm the main committees of City Council as follows:
o Operations & Community Services
o Executive Committee
o Mayor’s Housing Commission
o Regina Planning Commission
Implications:
· The newly-established Operations & Community Services Committee brings together two similarly aligned committees focusing on services to the community
· Better aligns with the corporation’s strategic plan
· Reduces the meeting commitments of Council members, thereby increasing time to dedicate to other Council-related responsibilities and/or other commitments
· Will facilitate a smoother transition to the proposed twice-monthly City Council meetings
· Terms of Reference will need to be established
· Amendments will be required to The Committee Bylaw, Bylaw No. 2009-40 and The Procedure Bylaw, Bylaw No. 9004
Proposed terms of reference for Executive Committee, resulting from the dis-establishment of the former P&P Committee, and the former F&A Committee, is attached as Appendix A.
Proposed terms of reference for the new Operations & Community Services Committee, resulting from the amalgamation of the former CPS and PWI committees, is attached as Appendix B.
The existing membership, composition and delegation of authority requirements be transferred to the amalgamated committee, which will represent no change.
Option #2 – Status Quo
· The main committees of City Council would remain at seven:
o Community & Protective Services
o Executive Committee
o Finance & Administration
o Mayor’s Housing Commission
o Priorities & Planning Commission
o Regina Planning Commission
o Public Works & Infrastructure Committee
Implications:
· Provides continuity of the committee decision-making structure
· Does not provide an opportunity to streamline the committee structure and lessen the time and meeting requirements of Council members
· Does not facilitate an easily-administered realignment of the Council and Committee meeting calendar to bi-weekly meetings of City Council
This report will be considered at the November 25, 2020 meeting of City Council and subsequently at the City Council meeting on December 2, 2020.
Public notice was provided on the City of Regina website, public notice board and in the Leader-Post.
The last revisions to the Committee structure were made in December 2018.
Previous members of Council have, at times, expressed concern and frustration over the frequency and duration of Council and committee meetings. Concerns have typically focused on lengthy meeting agendas and/or the numerous committee obligations of councillors.
The proposed amendments are designed to streamline committees’ decision-making processes, realizing efficiencies for elected officials, Administration and public delegations.
The City Clerk will prepare a report for consideration by Executive Committee in Q1 of 2021 respecting the Regina Appeal Board. The report will review the Board’s current decision-making structure and related procedures and examine the merits of changing the Board composition from councillors to citizen appointees.
Pursuant to section 35(6) of The Procedure Bylaw, Bylaw No. 9004. The City shall submit the report to the Executive Committee on a review of City council’s Committee System, no later than November of each year following the year in which a civic election has occurred.
Respectfully Submitted, Respectfully Submitted,
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