We are committed to being open, accountable and transparent. This commitment is consistent with provincial efforts to make municipal government understandable and approachable for citizens.
Closed meeting |
The province of Ontario, through the Municipal Act, 2001, defines when a council, local board or a committee is permitted to go into a closed meeting. Closed meetings are part of good government when these rules are honoured. The purpose of a closed meeting is for Council to receive information or give direction to staff on the following specific topics:
As well, a meeting shall be closed to the public if the subject matter relates to the consideration of a request under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act if the Council is the head of the institution for the purposes of the Act. |
Investigations of closed meetings |
Members of the public, including corporations, may request that an investigation be undertaken respecting whether the Council of the County of Frontenac or one of its local boards or committees has complied with closed meeting rules as outlined in the Municipal Act, 2001, as amended, or the County's procedural by-law during the closed part of a meeting. The County of Frontenac, through Local Authority Services Ltd. (LAS) has retained the services of Amberley Gavel Ltd., as its Closed Meeting Investigator and has authorized it to conduct any investigations arising from a complaint with respect to meetings or parts of meetings that are closed to the public. The Closed Meeting Investigator will determine compliance with the Municipal Act and/or the County of Frontenac Procedural By-law and will report on the results of such investigations. The Act provides that, when the investigation is completed, if the Investigator is of the opinion that the meeting was closed to the public contrary to the Act or the procedure by-law, such opinion shall be reported, with or without recommendations, to County Council. Council shall ensure that any such report is made available to the public. This applies to the County Council and it's Advisory Committees (150th Anniversary Planning Advisory Committee, Trails Advisory Committee, Sustainability Advisory Committee, the Joint Frontenac Accessibility Advisory Committee, the Seniors Housing Task Force and others as they are established). |
Complaints procedure |
Members of the public, including corporations, may submit complaints to the investigator relating to compliance with the Act or the Municipal Procedural By-law for meetings or part of meetings that are closed to the public. All complaints will be treated as confidential at all times.
The complaint form may be downloaded from the Ombudsman's Website at www.ombudsman.on.ca. |