Whereas the Procedural by-law states that a Member of Council has a duty “to deliberate on the business submitted to Council or Committees of Council, as the case may be”;
And whereas it is the role of a Member of Council to be a representative, a policy-maker, and a steward;
And whereas attendance at meetings facilitates Members’ roles;
And whereas Council has made a policy commitment to attend certain training (Policy CP-006, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Anti-Racism and Accessibility Training Plan for Council Policy) and should endeavour to attend other municipally-organized training offered to Members of Council;
And whereas other municipalities such as Brantford, Collingwood, and Guelph have attendance reporting;
And whereas Clarington does not have a reporting mechanism to hold Members of Council accountable for meeting attendance and training;
Now therefore be it resolved:
That Staff be directed to provide Council with an annual report on the attendance record of each member of Council for the previous calendar year that documents:
1. Attendance at regular and special Council and Standing Committee meetings to indicate whether the member was:
a. In attendance In-Person
b. In attendance online
c. Absent with regrets
d. Absent without regrets
e. Absent while on municipal business
2. Attendance at training or education sessions deemed by any Council policy or resolution to be a requirement; and
That the Member’s camera be left on for Members of Council who are participating electronically in Council and Standing Committee meetings.