4. rural summit – Health, recreation and social services Committee revised Terms of
Reference sommet rural - Mandat rÉvisÉ du Comité de la santÉ, des loisirs et des services sociaux |
Committee Recommendation
That Council approve the Committee’s Terms of Reference as outlined in
Document
1.
Recommandation
du comitÉ
Que le Conseil municipal approuve le mandat du
Comité décrit dans le document 1.
Committee Review
Date / Date d’examen par le Comité
6 April 2006 / 6 avril 2006
Present / Présences :
Chair / Présidente : D. Holmes
Vice Chair/vice-président : A. Cullen
Members / Membres : C.
Doucet
D.
Deans
P.
Feltmate
J.
Stavinga
Documentation
1. Chief Corporate Services Officer’s report dated 20 March 2006 (ACS2006-CRS-CCB-0025)
Report to/Rapport au :
Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee
Comité de la santé, des loisirs et
des services sociaux
and Council / et au Conseil
20 March 2006 / le 20 mars 2006
Submitted by/Soumis par : Greg Geddes, Chief Corporate Services
Officer/Chef des Services généraux
Contact
Person/Personne ressource : M. Rick O’Connor, City Solicitor
Legal Services/ Contentieux
(613) 580-2424 x21215, Rick.Oconnor@ottawa.ca
SUBJECT: |
RURAL SUMMIT - REVISED Health,
Recreation and Social Services Committee TERMS OF REFERENCE |
|
|
OBJET : |
SOMMET
RURAL - MANDAT RÉVISÉ du Comité de la santé, des loisirs et des services
sociaux |
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That the Health, Recreation and Social Services
Committee recommend Council approve the Committee’s Terms of Reference as
outlined in Document 1.
RECOMMANDATION DU
RAPPORT
Que le Comité de la santé, des loisirs et des services sociaux recommande au
Conseil municipal d’approuver le mandat du Comité décrit dans le document 1.
BACKGROUND
In January 2005, Mayor Chiarelli announced that the City of Ottawa would
host a Rural Summit to identify ways in which the City could improve how it
delivers services to its rural constituents.
In preparation for the two-day event, six sub-committees were formed to
research, investigate and develop options for solutions that could be
considered by the participants attending on Day Two of the Rural Summit. The Governance Sub-Committee was established
to identify realistic and practical governance options including modifications
to both the City of Ottawa’s political infrastructure and its administrative
implementation of policy. The
Sub-Committee focused its efforts on identifying various options which
recognized rural residents as valuable members of the City of Ottawa.
Of great importance to the Governance Sub-Committee was the strengthening of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee by enhancing its existing Terms of Reference. In an effort to decentralize policy development for non city-wide issues in the rural areas and to improve consultation on any new or revised policies or services impacting the rural community, the Sub-Committee recommended that the Terms of Reference be expanded to include additional areas of policy development and service delivery that affect rural communities of the City of Ottawa. On November 19, 2005, Day Two of the Rural Summit, participants endorsed the recommendation of the Governance Sub-Committee, indicating that a strengthened Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee was a high priority for the participants. In the aftermath of the Rural Summit, the Mayor announced the creation of a Rural Summit Task Force. Briefly, one of the key functions of this group was to move forward the governance agenda and, in particular, the revisions to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee’s Terms of Reference. In its budget report submitted to City Council on December 9, 2005, the Rural Summit Task Force identified the recommendation of the Governance Sub-Committee as a priority to be funded out of the $1.9 million allotted for Rural Summit initiatives.
As a consequence of the Rural Summit Task Force recommendations, enhancements to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee’s Terms of Reference have had a corresponding impact on the Terms of Reference of other Standing Committees of Council. Generally speaking, the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee will be dealing with policy issues with a distinct rural component or impact in the rural areas as identified in Schedule A of the City of Ottawa’s Official Plan and defined as follows: that ‘part of the City not intended for urban development’, which ‘contains a number of important natural resources and is characterized by the dominance of the natural rather than the built environment’. Language has been incorporated into the Terms of Reference to reflect the division of urban/suburban and rural planning and environment issues.
In addition to the impacts of enhancements to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, there are various housekeeping items that have been previously approved by Council and have been included in the revisions to the Terms of Reference for all Standing Committees including the following:
Approval of the Annual Budget
On 28 September 2005,
City Council enacted and passed the Procedure By-law, being By-law No.
2005-431, which stipulated that the annual budget shall be considered by the
Committee of the Whole and not by the various Standing Committees of
Council. This specific amendment had
originally been in place in December 2004 for Council’s debate on the 2005
Budget process. As a result, the Terms
of Reference provision respecting the authority and approval process for
Standing Committees to review and recommend the annual operating and capital
budgets for their respective departments/branches is no longer correct. What remains within the purview of the Standing
Committee is the ongoing authority to review and approve budget adjustments
within existing funding envelopes for the relevant departments/branches.
At its meeting on 11 February 2004, City Council considered a report from the Acting City Manager entitled “Budget 2004 – Opportunity Log – Corporate Restructuring”, and approved a number of recommendations concerning the reorganization and realignment to the Corporate Structure. Further, on 26 May 2004, City Council approved additional changes to the City’s organizational structure including the realignment of senior management (i.e. General Managers become “Deputy City Managers”). As a result, the Terms of Reference for all Standing Committees have been revised in order to reflect the existing corporate structure.
DISCUSSION
As a result of the initiatives or amendments previously approved by Council, either through endorsing the recommendations of the Rural Summit Task Force or as part of the Corporate Restructuring in 2004, staff have undertaken a review of the Terms of Reference for each Standing Committee. The Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee’s Terms of Reference have not been significantly impacted by the proposed enhancements to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. However, where possible, the Rural Issues Advisory Committee should be consulted to identify or evaluate rural implications on matters with a distinct rural component or impact on the rural areas.
It should also be noted that the Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee’s Terms of Reference were not approved during the previous Terms of Reference review. As a result, proposed amendments also include revisions based on direction from the Committee in January 2004.
The
proposed amendments that are summarized below have been highlighted in the
attached document for ease of reference:
· Revised Department and Branch titles; and
· Revised Objective and service descriptions for Parks and Recreation Services.
CONSULTATION
The Chair of the Health, Recreation and Social
Services Committee was notified and consulted with respect to this Terms of
Reference review. Additional
consultation took place with the City Solicitor, the City Clerk, the Financial
Services Branch, and the Community and Protective Services Department. As this
is an internal, administrative matter, public consultation was not conducted.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no financial implications with respect to this report.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1- Revised Terms of Reference (amendments in bold and italic font)
DISPOSITION
Upon approval of this report by City Council, the Terms of Reference will become the mandate and governing authority for the Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee and the City Clerk’s office will implement same.
Terms of Reference
City
Council: 26 April 2006
The Health, Recreation and Social Services
Committee is responsible for issues relating to the following Branches of the Community and Protective
Services Department: Housing Services, Public Health/Medical Officer of
Health, Long
Term Care, Employment and Financial Assistance, Parks and Recreation, Cultural Services and
Community Funding, and the Ottawa Public Library. The Committee will
assist City Council in its efforts to support the Community and Protective
Services Department’s mission to foster a healthy community that promotes and
supports quality of life so citizens can fully participate in, and contribute
to, the life of their community.
Membership
of the Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee shall consist of 9
members of City Council, appointed by the Nominating Committee and approved by
City Council. The Mayor is an
ex-officio member.
The Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee shall:
1. Be responsible directly to Council for those items emanating from:
a) the Housing Branch, the Ottawa Public Library Board, the Public Health Branch, the Cultural Services & Community Funding Branch, the Employment & Financial Assistance Branch, the Long Term Care Branch, and the Parks & Recreation Branch of the Community and Protective Services Department;
b) the Surface Operations Branch of the Public Works and Services Department on items related to parks and sports fields; and
c) advisory committees that are within the area of responsibility of the Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee.
2. Provide overall guidance and direction to the Community and Protective Services Department, and the Surface Operations Branch of the Public Works and Services Department on items related to parks and sports fields.
3. Monitor the associated activities and implementation of programs and projects of the applicable branches within the Community and Protective Services Department, and the Surface Operations Branch of the Public Works and Services Department on items related to parks and sports fields.
4. Ensure active public participation by receiving delegations from the public, and holding public hearings as required by statute and Council.
5. Subsequent to the approval of the budget, review and approve all operating and capital budget adjustments that are within the existing funding envelopes for the applicable branches within the Community and Protective Services Department (inclusive of fleet and real property (new, renovations, major rehabilitation) capital projects falling under the responsibility of this standing committee), (ii) the Surface Operations Branch (relating to parks and sports fields) of the Public Works and Services Department, (iii) the Public Works and Services capital projects related to parks growth, and (iv) the Ottawa Public Library Board approved operating and capital budgets.
6. Subsequent to the approval of the budget, consider, for recommendation to Council:
a) the policy direction and prioritization, but not the funding requirements, of new matters which are within a Committee’s mandate; and
b) matters which were not previously approved, but can be accommodated within the applicable departmental existing capital or operating budgets.
7. Pursuant to the Delegation of Authority By-law (Section – Conferences and Conventions), approve Councillors travel and attendance at conferences that are relative to the Committee’s mandate.
8. Review and recommend to Council revisions to the Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee Terms of Reference, as required.
9. Review and recommend to Council matters related to Advisory
Committees under the Standing Committee’s responsibility, such as but not
limited to the Advisory Committee membership, the Terms of Reference, annual
workplans and reporting, and funding requests.
10. Recommend to Council
proposed by-laws that are under the Committee’s jurisdiction.
11. Review and recommend to Council the recommendations submitted
by the Commemorative Naming Committee with respect to commemorative naming of
City parks.
12. Recommend to Council
City of Ottawa participation in federal or provincial cost-sharing programs or
employment incentive programs for matters within the mandate of the Committee.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES
Housing Services
Objectives
To enhance the quality of life of citizens of the City of Ottawa through direct management and community partnerships to provide cost-effective, social, affordable and supportive housing and to address the problems of homelessness.
Guidance and Direction
The Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee shall provide overall guidance and direction to staff, by reviewing and making recommendations to Council on reports dealing with affordable housing, social housing, supportive housing and homelessness, with the responsibility to:
· monitor the activities and implementation of policies, programs and projects of the Housing Services Branch;
· ensure the population of the City of Ottawa is adequately and affordably housed;
· meet the needs of residents eligible for social housing, including those requiring support services (supportive housing) to live independently in the community;
· promote options for increasing the supply of affordable housing;
· ensure the delivery of emergency shelter and transitional housing services;
· ability to receive reports from non-profit housing groups in the City, as required, including the Ottawa Community Housing Corporation; and
· implement initiatives to address homelessness.
Public Health/Medical
Officer of Health
Objectives
To enhance the health of the citizens of the City of Ottawa by carrying out its responsibilities under the Health Protection and Promotion Act and local by-laws, and through the provision of public health services responsive to changing needs, including the following:
· to enforce applicable provincial legislation and municipal by-laws (excepting Tobacco Inspection);
· to implement its mandated obligations for the family health programs in collaboration with the Ministry of Health;
· to identify, monitor, and respond to evolving health needs;
· to reduce and eliminate, if possible, preventable disease, disability and premature death;
· to operate in a financially responsible manner;
· to provide readily accessible services in all communities served;
· to direct programs to areas of greatest need/benefit;
· to advise local health professionals, decision-makers, community workers, and the public of the services and actions contributing to improved health;
· to promote life-style practices leading to personal and community wellness;
· to contribute a public health perspective to the planning and provision of services by other agencies; and
· to promote and participate in the teaching of sound public health principles and practices to health professionals, students and the public.
Guidance and Direction
The Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee shall provide overall guidance and direction to staff, by reviewing and making recommendations to Council on reports dealing with the following topics:
· Communicable Disease Control;
· Environmental Health;
· Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention;
· Family Health;
· Dental Services; and
· Community Medicine and Epidemiology.
Long Term Care
Objectives
To manage the Homes for the Aged to accommodate aged City of Ottawa residents and enhance their quality of life, in accordance with the Homes for the Aged and Rest Homes Act, and its regulations, and other relevant long term care legislation.
Guidance and Direction
With regard to the Long Term Care Branch, the Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee shall:
· bring forward all concerns arising from its mandate related to long term care that are of significance to the long-range strategic planning and policy development processes as well as any other matters originating in the Committee likely to have an impact on policy in social services or the health area in the City of Ottawa;
· ensure adherence to Homes for the Aged and Rest Homes Act and its regulations, and other relevant long term care legislation;
· ensure that the programs of the Long Term Care Branch are in keeping with the overall policy guidelines as developed by the Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee; and
· ensure that allocated monies are spent to meet the long term care needs of citizens in the community, whether through institutional care or outreach programs.
Objectives
To provide access to responsive and integrated employment and financial services, which support a citizen’s move toward self-reliance and enable them to participate in and contribute to the life of their community.
Guidance and Direction
The Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee shall provide overall guidance and direction to the Employment and Financial Assistance Branch by reviewing, revising where necessary, and submitting to Council, reports and recommendations of the Branch in regard to:
· Financial Assistance;
· Employment Services;
· Home Help Training/Home Help Program;
· Family Support Program;
· Essential Health and Social Supports;
· Workforce Development; and
· Eligibility Review Program.
Objectives
To focus on the development of a strong and healthy community by
enhancing and overseeing the provision of efficient, cost effective parks
planning and development, recreational programs and partnerships, and childcare
services to enable the optimal physical, emotional and social well-being of
citizens within the community.
Guidance and Direction
The Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee will receive, review and make recommendations to Council on reports received on the following topics:
· Children’s services including licensed and subsidized child care;
· Recreation and parks programs including aquatics, field sports, ice sports, fitness, special needs, and other instructional programs; and
· Planning and maintenance of recreational facilities, parks, and sports fields.
The Committee will be responsible for ensuring the City of Ottawa meets or exceeds:
· its mandated obligations for the Service System Management for Child Care;
· the community’s expectations with respect to recreation and parks programming and facility use; and
· the community’s expectations with respect to recreational facilities, parks and sports fields planning and maintenance.
Objectives
Guidance and Direction
The Health, Recreation and Social Services
Committee shall provide overall guidance and direction to the Cultural Services and
Community Funding Branch by reviewing, revising where necessary, and submitting to Council,
reports and recommendations of the Branch in regard to:
·
Arts
and Cultural Affairs;
·
Museums
and Archives; and
·
Community
Funding and Development.
Ottawa Public Library
Objectives[1]
·
To deliver public library service for
Ottawa residents of all ages in accordance with community needs for lifelong
learning, education, culture and leisure;
·
To provide timely access to accurate
and useful information in a variety of formats and technologies;
·
To support intellectual freedom as the
prerequisite for an informed, democratic society;
·
To add to the sense of community
within the City of Ottawa;
·
To provide an electronic gateway to
the world of the Internet and beyond; and
· To provide efficient, effective and equitable public library service.
Guidance and Direction
Subsequent to the approval of the budget, the Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee shall review any budget adjustments that are within the existing funding envelope of the Ottawa Public Library.