HomeMy WebLinkAboutDelegations Before Council Policy amend March 2005
Cape Breton Regional Municipality
Policy Resoectin2 Dele2ations Aooearin2 Before Council
This policy relates to delegations who wish to address the Cape Breton Regional Council
or a Standing Committee of Council.
1. All delegations will be required, if requested, to have a pre-appearance meeting
with the Clerk or designated Staff member. Presenters are also expected to be
present 30 minutes in advance of their presentation, only if requiring audiovisual
equipment.
2. Any individual or group wishing to address Council/Committee shall give notice
not less than 10 days prior to the meeting at which the delegation wishes to appear
and shall submit its presentation (including potential Resolutions for Council
considerationlendorsation) in writing to the Municipal Clerk for distribution with
the agenda package.
3. Subject to paragraph (a) and (b) below, only one delegation will be heard at any
Council meeting.
(a) In extra-ordinary or emergency circumstances only, and with the approval
of the Chair, will there be more than one delegation at a regular Council
meeting.
(b) Any approved delegation that fails to submit the required documentation
within the specified time limits will be deferred to another date.
( c) Delegations with exceptional issue or an issue deemed to be of an
emergency nature may be granted a special meeting; this decision at the
discretion of the chair.
4. Committees may entertain more than one (1) delegation per meeting. If a group
appears before a Committee, they will not be entitled to appear at Council to speak
on the same issue.
5. Issues coming before Council must be of a global municipal nature. If the topic is
of a localized nature or is service specific, the delegation will be directed and heard
at the appropriate Standing Committee of Council. The Clerk, in consultation with
the Chair, will decide what constitutes a global issue.
6. Under the Police Act, issues relating to the Policing Service must go to the Police
Commission. Only the few items which require Council approval under the Police
Act will be referred back to Council. The Commission, by virtue of the Police Act,
has different authority and reporting requirements than the other Committees of
Council.
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Policy Respecting Delegations Appearing Before Council
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7. A delegation is encouraged to have only one speaker who will be limited to a 15
minute presentation. A delegation may have more than one speaker but
collectively speakers are limited to the fifteen minute time period. The Clerk shall
make presenter( s) aware of this time limit when arrangements for the presentation
are being made.
8. Questions from members of Council/Committee may follow the presentation,
however, debate will not be permitted until Council formally deals with any
required action coming out of the presentation. Council may deal with the
requests for action
(a) under new business - (time permitting),
(b) at the next regular Council meeting,
( c ) or by referral.
9. Once a delegation is heard at Council, a Resolution would not be put forth on the
issue until the next meeting of Council. If urgency dictates an early decision, there
would be a requirement for a two-thirds vote of Council to deal with the issue.
10. The Chair will acknowledge and thank the presenting delegation.
11. This policy is Council's provision for the process of dealing with delegations and
supercedes Robert's Rules of Order.
Approved by Council- June 12, 1996
Amended by Council- March 11, 2005