Tuesday September 17, 2024 | VANCOUVER, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Local governments have been asking for tools and resources to strengthen responsible conduct among local elected officials.
Naturally that’s a touchy subject. If someone gets out of line what are the boundaries, what are the means for guidance and even disciplinary action?
So it’s been taken on with an administrative approach over several years at Union of BC Municipalities conventions. Their working group was established in 2016 (in response to a UBCM resolution that called on the BC government to enable local governments to appoint integrity commissioners).
In 2017, the working group delivered at policy paper on key components for an effective framework to support responsible conduct. After that, resources and tools were developed, including:
- foundational principles
- a model code of conduct
- a scenario-based online training course
- guidance on how to prevent conduct issues from arising; and
- dealing with issues that do arise.
Discussion paper in 2024:
This year a discussion paper was offered to UBCM delegates called Potential for Change — Responsible Conduct Framework for Local Government Elected Officials. It was posted online on September 5, just 10 days ahead of the 2024 UBCM Convention (which runs September 16 to 20 this week in Vancouver).
Delegates are mayors and elected officials from all municipalities, local and regional governments across British Columbia.
Presenters:
Presenters for the Strengthening Responsible Conduct session held this morning were:
- Paul Taylor, UBCM.
- Candace Witkowskyj, Local Government Management Association
- Allan Neilsen, Neilsen Strategies
About 40 people attended the 7:30 am early morning session.
One-hour session:
The one-hour Strengthening Responsible Conduct session explored the potential risks and rewards of new approaches to Codes of Conduct and their enforcement in British Columbia.
The content for the session was drawn from a recently published discussion paper authored by UBCM and the Local Government Management Association (LGMA).
Details in the document:
The 31-page discussion paper Potential for Change — Responsible Conduct Framework for Local Government Elected Officials explores:
- The idea of mandatory codes of conduct, in place of voluntary codes, for local governments; and
- The models that exist, or that could be developed, to support the administration and enforcement of responsible conduct standards set out in local government codes of conduct.
Research had been undertaken over the past few years to:
- understand responsible conduct frameworks in other provinces;
- assess the range of approaches taken to promote responsible conduct;
- investugate alleged breaches of codes of conduct;
- resolve conduct issues; and
- enforce codes through the application of sanctions.
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