Corporate Policy Framework

Policy statement

1. The Council of the Corporation of the Town of Oakville (town) is responsible for establishing the policies and programs of the town and for revising or rescinding policies and programs as required.
2. The establishment of procedures to effect policy decisions or implement programs is the responsibility of staff of the Corporation.
3. Corporate policies and procedures shall be developed and reviewed in accordance with the established Guidelines Governing Policies and Procedures.

Purpose

This policy establishes a framework for the development and approval of policies, programs, procedures, and guidelines for the town to ensure that corporate governance is developed and documented in a consistent manner within the town operations.

Scope

This policy applies to all corporate policies and procedures of the town.

Corporate Policy

Corporate policies are formal statements of administrative direction and have town wide application. They reflect the "rules" governing the administration of the town and cover a significant and specific aspect of the town's operations.  These policies need to be clear and concise statements of expected behaviours, practices and standards (e.g., Occupational Health, Safety and Workplace Violence Policy).

Corporate Procedure

Corporate procedures provide prescribed courses of action that reflect the operational standards required to enforce the related policy, by-law or legislation. These procedures have corporate application and are primarily created to ensure consistency in the way that corporate policies are carried out (e.g., Remote Work Arrangements Procedure). Departmental procedures (Standard Operating Procedures) may be developed to provide additional direction to a specific operational requirement in support of corporate administrative policies and procedures.

Standard Operating Procedures

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) relate to the administration and services offered by a particular department or commission and may apply to multiple service areas. These procedures may operationalize a corporate policy or procedure (e.g. Tree Maintenance, Parks and Open Spaces). The responsibility to develop, implement, update, and monitor these procedures resides within the operating department or commission.

Internal guidelines governing SOPs use the tools and approaches developed for corporate policy and procedure for consistency. Use of these guidelines for departmental SOPs will ensure similar formatting, standardization, monitoring, reviewing, and approval procedures.

Guidelines

Guidelines may be developed to provide operational guidance and may be related to a policy direction, although they are not subject to the same governance or enforcement as corporate policies or procedures. Guidelines are designed to provide assistance (e.g. Internal guidelines governing SOPs).

Responsibilities

The Clerk’s department is responsible for facilitating the corporate policy review and ensuring the established policy review process is adhered to, including record keeping and annual review of all corporate policies and procedures. The Clerk’s department will provide assistance to departments in the development, review, and updating of corporate policies and procedures.

The Policy Review Administration Group (PRAG), consisting of senior management, or their delegates, from select departments within the Corporate Services Commission, is responsible for the review and preliminary approval of all corporate policies and procedures, providing corporate oversight over the corporate policy process.

Council is responsible for the approval of all corporate policies.

The CAO, or Executive Management Team, by delegate, is responsible for the review and approval of all corporate procedures.

Departments are responsible for the development and implementation of corporate policy and procedures.