Legislative History: Adopted August 22, 2017 (By-law No. CPOL.-71-303); Amended July 24, 2018 (By-law No. CPOL.-71(a)-409); Amended August 10, 2021 (By-law No. CPOL.-71(b)-244); Amended November 7, 2023 (By-law No. CPOL.-71(c)-300)
Last Review Date: November 7, 2023
Service Area Lead: City Clerk
1. Policy Statement
1.1 This policy clarifies how Council Members are to be appointed to Standing Committees of Council and various Civic Boards and Commissions.
2. Definitions
2.1 Council Year – shall mean a one-year period commencing December 1 through November 31.
2.2 Council Term – shall mean a four-year period commencing November 15 through November 14.
3. Applicability
3.1 This policy shall apply to all City of London Council Members.
4. The Policy
4.1 General
Council Members shall be appointed to Standing Committees of Council each Council Year, with the exception of the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee which shall serve for the Council Term.
Council Members shall make every effort to serve on different Standing Committees throughout the Council Term, with the exception that the Council Procedure By-law provides for the Mayor to be, ex officio, a member of all Standing Committees of the Council, except for the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee where the Mayor shall serve as Chair; and
Council Members shall be appointed to the Audit Committee, civic boards and commissions each Council Term, to serve for the Council Term, unless the term of office is otherwise specified by legislation.
The Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee shall nominate the appointment of Council Members to Standing Committees of Council, Audit Committee and various civic boards and commissions to the Municipal Council.
4.2 Appointment of Council Members at the Commencement of a New Council Term
The City Clerk, or designate, shall convene a meeting of the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee, as soon as possible after the Inaugural Council meeting, with respect to the appointment of Council Members to the Standing Committees of Council, Audit Committee and various civic boards and commissions. In advance of the above-noted Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee meeting, the City Clerk, or designate, shall provide incoming Council Members with a communication describing the mandate of each of the Standing Committees, Audit Committee, boards and commissions to which Council Members are to be appointed and with a submission form on which each Council Member shall indicate their committee, board and commission preferences. All members of council are expected to indicate a preference for each committee, board and commission listed on the submission form provided by the City Clerk.
The latter document shall be returned to the City Clerk, or designate, by a specified date, in order to form part of the agenda for the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee meeting. Appointments to the Standing Committees, Audit Committee and various civic boards and commissions shall be in keeping with the process approved by the Municipal Council.
4.3 Appointment of Council Members to Council Standing Committees after Appointments at the Commencement of a Council Term
The City Clerk, or designate, shall convene a meeting of the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee in sufficient time for a nomination to be brought forward to the Municipal Council for consideration prior to the commencement of a new Council Year, with respect to the appointment of Council Members to Standing Committees of Council for the upcoming Council Year. The City Clerk, or designate, shall provide the Council Members with a submission form on which each Council Member shall indicate their Standing Committee preference. The latter document shall be returned to the City Clerk, or designate, by a specified date, in order to form part of the agenda for the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee meeting. All members of council are expected to indicate a preference for each committee listed on the submission form provided by the City Clerk.
Appointments to the Standing Committee shall be in keeping with the process approved by the Municipal Council.
In the event a Council Member is no longer able to hold office on the Municipal Council and another individual is elected in their place during a Council Year, the new Council Member shall assume the membership on the Standing Committee previously held by the Council Member which they are replacing.
4.4 Appointment of Council Members to the Audit Committee and Civic Boards and Commissions after Appointments at the Commencement of a Council Term
In the event a Council Member vacancy on the Audit Committee or a civic board or commission becomes available during a Council Term, after appointments have been made at the commencement of the Council Term, the City Clerk, or designate, shall canvass the Council Members to determine which Council Members would be interested in filling the vacancy. The names of the Council Members who have expressed an interest in filling the vacancy shall be placed on an agenda of the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee, at the earliest opportunity, and the selection of the Council Member to fill the vacancy shall be made based upon the same process approved by the Municipal Council for the filling of vacancies at the beginning of a Council Term.