Focus on Governance

Terms of Reference for a Corporate Review: Focus on Governance

1. Assessment of Current Practice

  • Identify those areas which are felt to be strengths of the present day system and how these might best be retained/enhanced
  • Review the reporting relationships, roles and responsibilities of the Chief Elected Official, Council, Committees, CAO, Directors and department heads

2. Review of Understanding of Terms

  • Determine the Council’s understanding of basic governance concepts
  • Review the orientation process which Council members too part in subsequent to the last election

3. Assessment of Council’s Governance Agenda and Style of Governing

  • Review and determine what this Council sees as its main priorities relative to how the organization is being governed
  • Assess how it has been governing to date and what style has evolved

4. Examination of Linkages to Senior Administration and to the     Organization

  • Analyse how the present governing system is linked to the Chief Administrative Officer and how Council’s messages are conveyed to the rest of the organization

5. Assessment of Council Vision and Priorities

  • Request information on what steps Council has taken to date in establishing its own sense of priorities with regard to the future vision of this community

6. Review of Council’s Current Decision-Making Processes

  • Conduct a thorough review of the decision-making processes of Council and assess the concerns which Council has with the current system
  • Examine the committee system or model used by this Council and assess its merits as a decision-making tool

7. Assessment of the Impact of the Current Organization Structure and     Management Styles

  • Review the present organization structure with an assessment of the three senior reporting levels to Council; recommend an organizational structure which is most suitable to meeting the needs of the Council and the Corporation’s responsibilities
  • Assess the appropriateness of management styles of the current senior staff given the concerns and preferred governing style of the present Council
  • Assess the appropriateness of the powers and authorities granted to the CAO relative to Council and assess whether or not Council is able to make the governance decisions necessary to effective public representation
  • Asses whether or not the CAO and senior administration are appropriately and fully advising Council on the key issues and then promptly following up on the Council decisions relative to these issues
  • Identify what roadblocks exist in the organization and how these should be dealt with by Council

8. Provide Insights, Advice and Recommendations

  • provide practical and useful recommendations on all matters covered by the terms of reference and any additional areas of concern which come to the attention of the consultant during the course of this engagement.