An efficient and effective municipal council is fundamental to good governance and to the well-being of its community.

How many of the following key elements do members of the municipal council in your community demonstrate?

Effective Leadership and Integrity

Council members must demonstrate personal and professional integrity, fostering trust and credibility within the community.

Effective leadership involves ethical behaviour, transparency and a commitment to serving the public, not personal, interests.

Expressing leadership means listening and maintaining a non-biased position.

Leadership means consensus building, assessment of all the options, extensive public consultation. Building community support for a municipal initiative is a thoughtful, respectful process that takes time.

Leadership is not about winning or losing. It is the demonstration of fairness, sharing and compromise. An ongoing effort to focus on priorities that support and promote the community-at-large.

Community Engagement and Participation

Actively involving citizens in decision-making, enhances the legitimacy and the perception of responsiveness of the council.

Engaging the public in municipal committees and commissions, in forums and open meetings ensures that diverse perspectives are heard.

Supporting, and partnering with, community-based organizations is a particularly effective way of providing a range of programs and services that may not be possible within the municipal budget, particularly in small communities.

Clear Agenda and Objectives

Have clear and well-defined agendas for meetings. Citizens need to understand what topics will be discussed and/or voted on.

Information about the rules of order need to be explained at the start of each meeting so that everyone is comfortable with the process, time delays and question periods.

At the regular sitting of council, each councillor reports on the decisions, and future plans/projects of his/her municipal committee. This communicates up to date information to the citizens and demonstrates that council members are engaged in activities beyond the regular sitting of council

Equity and Inclusion

Promoting an inclusive environment ensures that diverse ideas, backgrounds and talents are respected and integrated into the council’s work.

Ideally, the composition of the municipal council should have three or four women out of the seven members of the council to move towards gender parity, and include representatives of different group ages, ethnicity and backgrounds.

Effective Communication

Clear and regular communication between council members and the public fosters trust and confidence.

The use of multiple communication tools helps disseminate information to a larger number of citizens and also contributes to greater inclusion of different points of view by allowing the gathering of feedback across various platforms.

Accountability, Evaluation and Adjustment

Adopt, in consultation with citizens, a 5-year strategic plan. This plan must be updated each year to evaluate what has and has not been accomplished and why.

Ongoing monitoring and assessment of the implementation of the 5-year plan not only allows for timely adjustments and modifications, but also ensures that resources are used efficiently.

The strategic plan also serves as a guide for budget planning, program development, infrastructure investment and over all effective municipal administration.

Collaboration and Networking

Building cooperative networks with other municipalities and community organizations may help to share knowledge, best practices, resources and facilities. Collaboration enhances service delivery and promotes innovative solutions to shared challenges.

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When recruiting and considering candidates for a municipal council, determine who is best positioned to bring these key elements at the municipal council table.

Ask the candidates about their understanding and adhesion to these points; and what they will bring to the community if they are elected to ensure the honest, open and respectful administration of the Municipal Council.

Autor:

Joan Westland

President of the PEPINES Board of Directors

Joan has some 30 years’ experience as an elected municipal official, including 27 years as mayor of the municipality of Bolton-Est.