A Richmond city councillor is asking that decisions made behind closed meetings be released to the public when they’re no longer confidential.
City council will discuss a motion from Coun. Kash Heed on Monday that calls for in-camera minutes to be publicly released "once a decision or discussion is no longer required to be secured as confidential."
“Openness and transparency are fundamental to a well-functioning democracy,” Heed said in his motion.
While some issues are dealt with “in camera,” that is, in meetings closed to the public, Heed notes it’s “good practice” to release the minutes of those discussions and decisions “once they are no longer confidential.”
Heed told the Richmond News he wants a procedure in place for the disclosure of this information.
“Due to the lack of a systematic approach to review previously adopted Closed recommendations and reports, issues addressed in Closed meetings frequently remain undisclosed, even if their original justification for confidentiality is no longer valid,” his motion reads.
City council recently decided in a closed meeting that it wouldn’t move forward with a controversial supportive housing project at Cambie and Sexsmith roads.
The announcement was made to the public, but the decision – and the vote - was made in an in-camera meeting.
While the Community Charter allows some issues, such as those dealing with land, labour and legal matters, to be dealt with in closed meetings, the city’s role in the Cambie and Sexsmith project was a rezoning decision and the drafting of a memorandum of understanding between the city and BC Housing.
Heed said the motion will be dealt with at Monday's committee meeting, although as of Friday morning, it wasn't on the agenda..
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