ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: July 25, 2001
Author/Local: Judy Rogers, 7626

RTS No. 2242

CC File No. 3253

Council: July 31, 2001

TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	City Manager
SUBJECT:	STAFF EXCHANGES

RECOMMENDATION

THAT Council endorse the City's participation in the Federation of Canadian Municipalities - Municipal Partnerships Program;

FURTHER THAT the General Manager of Human Resource Services be instructed to prepare the necessary policies, procedures, and administrative guidelines that would support the City's involvement in partnership, staff exchange and secondment initiatives;

AND FURTHER THAT Staff & Organization Development, Human Resource Services maintain responsibility, on behalf of the City, for the administration of this and any other similar initiative.

POLICY

The authority for engaging in any commercial, industrial or business undertaking, including the participation in staff exchange programs, is provided within the general provisions of the Vancouver Charter.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to obtain Council's endorsement of the City's general participation in staff exchanges and secondment initiatives, locally, provincially, nationally and internationally.

DISCUSSION

The City of Vancouver has received a letter of inquiry from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) - International Center for Municipal Development (ICMD) requesting the City of Vancouver's participation in the FCM Municipal Partnerships Program (MPP) in collaboration with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration in Thailand.

Operating within the framework of FCM, ICMD operates to provide new opportunities for Canadians to learn from international municipal development, and share their knowledge with municipal partners at home and abroad. ICMD facilitates partnerships between Canadian and overseas municipalities under the MPP. The partnerships usually focus on issues of municipal management or governance, and comprise a series of exchanges between staff, council members and community representatives from both municipalities. By sharing expertise, technology and knowledge, partners support processes to help communities find ways of involving the public in decision-making and help build the capacity of local governments to provide improved services.

With an emphasis on community participation and capacity building, particularly in the areas of human and technical resource development, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration believes that participation in the FCM Municipal Partnerships Program will provide excellent learning opportunities for administrators and staff experts. Personnel will have the opportunity to engage in mutual dialogue, exchange ideas, and cooperate with international partners toward such common goals as improving quality of life, increasing access to basic human life necessities, and implementing defined sustainability programs that meet development needs.

The City of Vancouver is equally committed to achieving goals similar to those of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. Accordingly, the City is committed to providing a valuable exchange of information and contribution of its expertise in any of the following areas:

Ø Social Planning (Community Services)

Ø Waste Management (Engineering Services)
Ø Public Involvement Processes (Community Services)
Ø Recreational Land Use (Parks Board)
Ø Transportation Planning (Engineering Services)
Ø Financial Management (Corporate Services)
Ø Crime Prevention & Law Enforcement (Police Board)
Ø Emergency Services (Fire & Rescue Services)
Ø Risk & Emergency Management (Corporate Services)
Ø Information Technology (Corporate Services)
Ø Human Resource Development (Human Resource Services)
Ø Municipal Government Development (City Manager, City Clerk, Law)

It is recognized that some of the best results from initiatives such as the MPP can be achieved through a collaborative approach to problem solving. Wherever possible the City of Vancouver is committed to working collaboratively with other municipalities, along with its own integrated team of City experts to address joint issues of concern.

Exchange programs, such as the Municipal Partnerships Program, can provide a cost-effective method of providing intellectually rich and challenging opportunities for motivating staff while providing a direct benefit to the organization. The valuable learning opportunities created by the FCM Municipal Partnerships Program increase our knowledge and understanding of the workplace and the community. Furthermore, the creation of such constructive external relations with global partners will invariably foster an ongoing contribution to achieving the City's goals and objectives.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Although the Canadian partner is not asked to make a direct financial contribution to the program, the municipality is expected to cover the main costs of administering the program. This should be accomplished through existing resources. FCM funding is available for administrative costs, Technical Exchanges for 5-6 individuals per year, Monitoring Missions, Evaluation Mission, and Partnership Support Activities.

CONCLUSION

It is recommended that the City of Vancouver participate in partnership, staff exchange and secondment initiatives, and specifically, to support the City of Vancouver's application to participate in the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Municipal Partnerships Program.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver