Cobourg invites resident feedback on new council structure

Cobourg Council Chambers. Northumberland 89.7 File Photo.

By Cecilia Nasmith

Cobourg

With a year of a new standing-committee-type format in the books, Cobourg council is looking at resident feedback to see how communications and interactions with members of the public might be improved.

Until March 10, Engage Cobourg invites residents to visit the site to share their experiences and suggestions anonymously.

The format change began last January, with three standing committees meeting monthly, leading up to a full session of council at month's end.

The standing committees are Community Services, Protection and Economic Development (meeting on the second Wednesday of the month at 9:30 a.m.), Public Works, Planning and Development (second Wednesday of the month at 1 p.m.), Corporate, Finance and Legislative (second Thursday of the month at 1 p.m.), with the full session meeting the last Wednesday of the month at 6 p.m.

In addition, there are the advisory committees and local boards. Legislative committees include the Accessibility Advisory Committee, Audit and Risk Committee and Heritage Advisory Committee. There are also the quasi-judicial Committee of Adjustment and Property Standards Committee, as well as three local boards – Police Service Board, Cobourg Public Library Board and Downtown Business Improvement Area Board of Management.

The procedural bylaw dictates such things as the structure of the meetings, how decisions are made, steps to ensure meetings are transparent and open to the public, and how citizens can communicate with council on agenda items as well as community issues.

The announcement affirmed the commitment of staff and council to ensuring procedures and decision-making processes are accessible to the community. Staff are now reaching out to seek feedback from residents on the new structure and their experience with it.

Visit www.EngageCobourg.ca to submit your feedback. If you require an alternate format, contact the Communications Department at communications@cobourg.ca or 905-372-4301.