STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
ON PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT

A C T I O N S

DATE: Thursday, October 8, 1998
TIME: 2:00 p.m.
PLACE: Committee Room No. 1

Third Floor, City Hall

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT DENISE SALMON AT (604) 873-7269

The following recommendations of the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment were adopted by Vancouver City Council at its meeting immediately following the Standing Committee meeting.

1. Public Involvement Review (PIR) - Evaluation Phase Report File: 1011

A. THAT Council receive for information Context Research Ltd.'s report, "City of Vancouver - Public Involvement Review," evaluating the City's public involvement practices (on file in City Clerk's Office).

B. THAT Council direct the General Manager of Engineering Services, the General Manager of Community Services, General Manager of Corporate Services, and the City Clerk to report back by the end of 1999 on improvements to departmental programs which involve the public, including development of an education course on the City's processes and issues --possibly in conjunction with an education institute.

C. THAT Council direct staff to report back by December, 1998 on approaches to implementing the directions recommended by the consultant outlined in Appendix A to improve the City's public involvement practices, including:

i) a multicultural outreach and translation policy;
ii ) increased use of plain language
iii ) staff training in public involvement;
iv) development of public process guidelines;
v) establishment of a core group of staff public involvement experts;
vi) regular process evaluation;
vii) a community contact database;
viii) ongoing linkages with communities;
ix) continuity of staff involvement in neighbourhoods;
x) public conduct training for City staff and Council;
xi) civics training for the public;
xii) provision of background policy information to the public;
xiii) use of the media;
xiv) survey research techniques; and
xv) process feedback and closure.

D. THAT Council adopt the principles outlined in Appendix B as a basis for ongoing improvements to the City's public involvement and direct staff to report back on refinements to the principles once the initial departmental and corporate improvements are complete.

E. THAT $117,500 be allocated from the Strategic Initiatives Fund of which $50,000 will be available to provide survey, research and facilitation services for departments to develop process improvements, $20,000 to assist in corporate improvements to public involvement; and, $47,500 for a temporary PIR Co-ordinator position for a period of one year to assist the PIR Working Group in the co-ordination of departmental and corporate improvements.

F. THAT Council invite the Park Board, the Library Board and the Police Board to continue to participate in the Public Involvement Review process.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver