Legislative History: Adopted August 22, 2017 (By-law No. CPOL.-68-300); Amended July 24, 2018 (By-law No. CPOL.-68(a)-370); Amended June 14, 2022 (By-law No. CPOL.-68(b)-166)
Last Review Date: July 25, 2023
Service Area Lead: City Clerk
1. Policy Statement
1.1 This policy establishes the corporate standard for technology equipment and software for Council Members.
2. Definitions
2.1 Not applicable.
3. Applicability
3.1 This policy applies to all Council Members.
4. The Policy
4.1 Standard Equipment and Software Guidelines
Corporate standard technology equipment and software for Council Members shall be established by the City Clerk, in consultation with Information Technology Services.
The corporate standard for technology equipment and software for Council Members shall be reviewed by the City Clerk, in consultation with Information Technology Services, for appropriateness prior to the acquisition of technology equipment and software for Council Members for a new Council term.
4.2 Equipment Issuance and Options
Council Members shall be issued the following for the 2022-2026 Council term:
a) one corporate standard laptop, including one each of the associated corporate standard docking station, monitor, carrying case, keyboard, mouse and wired headset for the laptop;
OR
a one-time allowance/reimbursement, not to exceed $1800.00, to the Council Member to purchase their own equipment. The claim for reimbursement must be submitted to the City Clerk, prior to December 31st of the election year. Members who choose to exercise this option will be required to sign an acknowledgement noting that Information Technology Services staff will not be available to provide technical support for any self-purchased equipment, or peripherals;
b) one corporate standard tablet and protective case;
c) one standard printer (HP Wireless);
OR
a one-time allowance/reimbursement, not to exceed $500.00 to the Council Member to self-procure. Council Members will be required to sign an acknowledgement noting that the printer will not be supported by Information Technology Services. The claim for reimbursement must be submitted to the City Clerk, prior to December 31st of the election year;
d) corporate standard software license for Microsoft 365, including Microsoft Office and access provided to any other software identified as essential to the business of the City of London by the City Clerk, in consultation with Information Technology Services (e.g. electronic agenda management software), but excluding specialized corporate software that would not be accessible by the general public (e.g. AMANDA, Kronos, JD Edwards, etc.), and;
e) one corporate standard mobile device and protective case.
4.3 Supply of Equipment
Council Members will be required to indicate preferences by a date established by the City Clerk, in order to ensure that any equipment is available at the beginning of the term.
Members may “opt out” of any of the provisions of corporate equipment entirely, but are not able to “opt in” at any future point in the term. Should a Council Member choose to “opt out”, and later desire equipment, it would need to be purchased through their Councillor expense account and be subject to the terms of that policy.
4.4 Supplementary Computer Equipment
Council Members may, at their discretion, utilize funds from their annual expense allocation to supplement the standard corporate issue of computer equipment, in keeping with applicable policies, (e.g., Corporate Use of Technology Policy).
4.5 Technical Support
The Corporation of the City of London, through Information Technology Services, shall only provide support to corporately-issued equipment issued/purchased during the current term of Council. Information and Technology Services will not provide technical support to any personal equipment or systems, any equipment or service provided by a third party (e.g. WiFi connection provided by internet service provider), or any supplementary equipment that may have been purchased by funds from a Council Member’s annual expense allocation. Council Members shall be fully responsible for any costs associated with the use and maintenance of supplementary computer equipment or software they have opted to purchase outside the standard equipment and software guidelines provided for in this Policy.
Information Technology Services shall assist with the initial set up of the corporately-issued wireless printer at a Council Member’s home office. However, the Council Member shall be responsible for ensuring their home office WiFi connection is in working order so that the set up can be completed. The Council Member must be present during the initial set up and able to enter the appropriate password to complete the connection to the wireless printer.
4.6 Computer Equipment for Privately-Contracted Assistance
Any additional computer equipment required for individuals privately contracted by a Council Member shall be provided by the Council Member and will not be provided by The Corporation of the City of London via a corporate purchase or loan arrangement. For security and support reasons, no equipment other than the equipment issued to the Council Member by The Corporation of the City of London, during the current Council term, will be connected to the City of London’s network and supported by corporate resources.
4.7 Corporate Records and Corporately-Licensed Software
Any corporate records or corporately-licensed software maintained on the standard computer equipment issued to the Council Members by The Corporation of the City of London shall be returned to and remain in the custody of The Corporation of the City of London during and at the conclusion of each Council term. In those instances where a Council Member is returning to office for a subsequent Council term, the Council Member may request to have their corporate records transferred to their new computer equipment. In any event, all corporate records shall, at all times, be maintained in keeping with legislated requirements (e.g. Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, Records Retention By-law, etc.).
4.8 Computer Usage – General
Computer usage for corporate purposes shall be in keeping with the City of London’s Use of Technology Administrative Procedure. No Council Member, their corporately-assigned staff, or their contracted assistant, shall use the technology made available to them by The Corporation of the City if London in a manner which compromises the security of the City of London’s systems or information.
4.9 Acquisition and Disposition of Corporately-Issued Computer Equipment and Software for Council Members
a) The City Clerk shall establish a purchase plan for the supply and replacement of standard computer equipment and software for Council Members at the commencement of each Council term, in liaison with Information Technology Services.
b) The City Clerk shall include a budget item for the acquisition of the standard computer equipment and software noted in (a), above, for incoming Council Members.
c) The City Clerk, in liaison with Information Technology Services, shall establish the corporate standard for computer equipment and software for Council Members in sufficient time for that computer equipment and software to be acquired for the commencement of the new Council term.
d) Information Technology Services shall arrange for the on site, and where applicable off site, installation of the standard corporate-issue computer equipment and software, as well as the related training and support, in liaison with the Council Members and/or their corporate support staff.
e) At the conclusion of a Council term, Council Members serving that Council term shall retain the standard computer equipment they were issued at the commencement of that Council term, to do with as they wish and/or dispose of on their own, in keeping with any applicable Canada Revenue Agency or other legislative requirements. The license provided for Microsoft Office will be deactivated at the end of the term and used to support the next term of Council Members. All access to the corporate network shall be fully terminated and the hardware removed from the Corporation’s domain, with no further technical support being provided by the Corporation’s Information Technology Services.