Proposed Changes to Clarington's Procedural By-law

The General Government Committee of Clarington reviewed proposed amendments to the Procedural By-law during their meeting on May 10, 2021. Key changes include:

1. Closed Meetings: Section 4.9.1 will be amended to clarify that closed meetings can occur if the subject matter pertains to specific matters outlined in the Municipal Act, 2001.
2. Procedural Motion Definition: The definition of Procedural Motion in Section 1 will be updated to include the term 'indefinitely' after 'to table' and to add 'To defer' as a new item.
3. Agenda Restrictions: Section 2.5.1 will be modified to allow the Municipal Clerk to refuse agenda items at the request of a member of the public.
4. Delegation Time Limits: Section 9.2.5 will increase the speaking time for delegations from five minutes to ten minutes at Council and Committee meetings.
5. Speaking to a Matter: Section 10.9.1 will be amended to allow members to speak twice on a matter without needing Committee approval, although this motion was ultimately lost.
6. Length of Meetings: Amendments to Sections 4.11.1 and 4.11.2 will ensure that remaining agenda items are placed on the next regular meeting's agenda if a meeting adjourns.
7. Motions: Several amendments were proposed regarding motions, including adding 'To defer' to the list of motions introduced orally and clarifying the process for divided motions.

These changes aim to enhance the clarity and efficiency of council operations and improve public participation in meetings. The new Procedural By-law is set to take effect on September 1, 2021, pending further review and final approval by the council.