A consultant’s report that suggested a number of changes for the way Victoria council and city hall operate will be front and centre July 26, when council gets an update on the progress made in tackling the report’s 30 recommendations.
On Thursday, council asked city staff to present an update on the Governance Review Report in late July.
The 78-page report by accounting and business consultancy firm MNP was delivered to the previous council in late July last year. It included recommendations touching on everything from the role of the mayor and council to financial remuneration for elected officials, a proposed code of conduct and how committees should function.
Mayor Marianne Alto, who asked that the staff presentation be delayed three weeks until July 26, said that was to allow work already being done to be completed. “Legislative staff and other staff have been working very closely with me for the last number of months on a variety of different aspects of the review of all of the materials that are suggested, not just in the MNP report, but in a variety of other initiatives to try and provide a little clarity, a little efficiency,” said Alto.
The mayor said she hopes all of the work on the recommendations could be completed before council takes its summer break in August.
Coun. Dave Thompson said governance has been front and centre with the new council and there’s been noticeable, steady improvement, noting council has agreed it will adopt a code of conduct.
The MNP report suggested a number of changes for the mayor and council, including creating a policy to guide council’s actions on matters beyond core municipal responsibilities and evaluating the purpose of council appointments to external boards and committees, given council’s existing role and workload.
The report also recommended consolidating administrative authority in the city manager, saying a lack of clarity in delegated authority has created problems for city staff when receiving direction from the mayor or other members of council. It also invited members of council to weigh in on administrative matters.
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