REQUEST FOR DECISION
DATE: June 7, 2016 Report No. ADM-16-018
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Anja Nurvo, Director of Corporate Services
SUBJECT:
Title
Social Planning Options
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That Council defer consideration of establishing a social planning advisory committee until after the approval of the updated Official Community Plan and the consideration of whether a subsequent community social plan should be developed in order to address any social issues identified during the OCP review process.
Body
RELEVANT POLICY:
Community Charter
STRATEGIC RELEVANCE:
That we continue to enhance the health and liveability of the community.
BACKGROUND:
At the Council meeting on December 21, 2015, Council passed the following motion:
“Whereas: Esquimalt is home to residents with a diverse range of socioeconomic demographic backgrounds, who face varying levels of challenge or success with affordability, inclusion, well-being, and prosperity; and
Whereas: Municipal governments have numerous tools or strategies that can be used to address the challenges and needs of our community in the areas of health (mental and physical), housing, social inclusion, and economic opportunities; and
Whereas: Our Strategic Priorities 2015-2019 include the desire to enhance the health and livability of our community, which is the intent of social planning activities;
Therefore be it resolved: That Council direct staff to prepare a Staff Report for a Social Planning Committee, and suggested work plan objectives including staff resources, relating to the 2015-2019 Strategic Priorities, to allow Council to consider whether it wishes to launch this Committee in 2016.”
Staff has conducted research on what other local governments are doing and various options available for social planning within communities. Staff has the following information for Council’s consideration.
1. SPARC BC (Social Planning and Research Council of British Columbia) is a non-partisan, charitable organization established in 1966, focusing on social justice issues and works with communities on accessibility, community development, income security and social planning. SPARC BC has, on occasion, played an active role in lobbying at the Provincial and Federal levels through UBCM on local community social planning issues.
SPARC BC published “A Citizen’s Guide to Community Social Planning”, intended for people wishing (1) to establish a community social planning organization, (2) to improve an existing one, or (3) to incorporate the principles and processes of community social planning within their organization. Although quite dated, the principles within the Guide remain relevant. It states that Community social planning may be involved in one or all of the following activities: (1) advocacy; (2) social policy analysis, criticism and recommendations; (3) informing and educating the public; (4) conducting research; (5) community organizing; (6) community problem-solving; and (7) demonstrating innovative approaches.
The Guide reviews the major community social planning options and the pros and cons of each. Local circumstances should determine which is the most suitable in any given community. These options are summarized below:
(1) Independent Community Social Planning Council - volunteer based, non-profit, independent association, with their functions often including (depending upon available resources) research, public education, problem solving, planning, advocacy and support to self-help groups. Their benefits include independence, bringing different community perspectives together, and adaptability to community needs and priorities. Limitations include lack of secure long-term funding and resources, and no mandatory requirement to be consulted or to be able to make recommendations to local government.
(2) The United Way and member agencies - incorporated non-profit charity with an elected board, paid staff and volunteers to support member agencies. Functions include raising and distributing funds, and research and planning support to member agencies. Benefits include credibility, effective fundraising, and ability to bring together key sectors (business, labour, local government and community service agencies). Limitations include conflict between social issue advocacy and fundraising functions, and focus on direct human care services.
(3) The Community Multi-service Organization - non-profit, voluntarily associations with a defined mission, providing an operational umbrella for a range of programs and services consistent with the mission, which may be delivered under contract to government. It may also bring together other agencies for joint planning and advocacy. Benefits include capacity for social planning role, support for self-help groups, knowledge of local community needs and resources, well-connected and respected in the community. Limitations are focus on direct service provision, advocacy can be inhibited, ability to encourage community participation in assessing needs while at same time being the provider of the services, and resources required for community social planning.
(4) Local Government - Involvement can be limited to providing grants to community agencies or tax exemptions, to establishing community service committees of Council, or hiring social planning staff. Benefits include bringing a social planning presence to decision-making, integrating social, economic, land use and environmental decision-making, improving communications between community and local government, means to work with community to define issues and priorities, and providing a resource for dealing with other levels of government on social issues. Limitations include can be dominated by other local government issues, controversial political issues may hinder progress, and restrictions on advocacy that may be against municipality’s interests or outside its responsibilities.
(5) Neighbourhood Council - These are more appropriate in large communities, where a group of volunteer residents in a particular area perform a community social planning role, usually with the assistance of a social planner from the local government. This can serve as an opportunity to enhance citizen participation and provide a means of responding to particular needs and opportunities. Limitations include requires a core of very dedicated volunteers to invest a significant amount of personal time, and the group may become dominated by a small single issue group.
SPARC BC cautions that, in order to be successful to generate action and results, establishing a social planning organization requires:
- involving those most affected by the issue so they have ownership of the task
- accurately researching and documenting the need or opportunity
- developing a realistic plan of action (including risks and benefits of goals and strategies, determining resources required and available, targeting those whose support is critical to success, informing and educating the public to build support, and setting short term achievable objectives to build credibility and support).
2. The Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria is a local not-for-profit organization that has been in existence for over 75 years. It is an example of Option (1) described above, with a mission to lead social, economic and environmental planning in the Capital Region, engage community members and organizations, businesses and government to research social issues and create sustainable solutions. Their key priorities are research and development work on reducing and preventing poverty, housing affordability, youth programs, community economic development, sustainable jobs, living wages, and sustainability of the Region (social, economic and environmental). As with any not-for-profit organization, their ability to carry out their mission and effect change is directly related to their resources, since they rely on membership fees, donations and grants to carry out their services.
3. One example of Option (4) above is that several larger local governments, including Vancouver, Burnaby, Nanaimo and Victoria, now have a professional staff position of Social Planner. Their responsibilities often include researching, monitoring and assessing community needs, analyzing policies of other organizations and governments for their impacts on the community, and facilitating the development and implementation of local government policies and programs relating to social and housing issues, such as accessibility, child care, public safety, food strategy and security, multiculturalism, poverty, seniors services, special needs, non-market housing, homelessness, etc.
4. Another example of Option (4) is for the local government to form a committee with the mandate of providing advice on local social issues. The City of Nanaimo’s Social Planning Advisory Committee is made up of several community members as well as representatives from the School Board, Parks and Recreation Commission and Council. It provides a social perspective to Council and staff on social needs and issues, acts as liaison with community groups, agencies, the public and other government sectors, and also administers several grant programs.
The terms of reference of the City of Kamloops’ Social Planning Council include assisting with meeting the priorities of the Kamloops Social Plan, a Plan that evolved out of the Sustainable Kamloops Plan, to provide a social lens to municipal policy planning, programs and services and community development. It’s role includes co-operating with other governmental agencies and civic groups in the advancement of the Social Plan. It is charged with making recommendations to Council on social planning priorities and programs and the issuance of social planning grants.
What is clear from reviewing the available options and examples of how other local governments carry out the social planning function is that any social planning committee must, in order to be successful, have both staff support and a very clear mandate. In all municipalities that had such a committee, there were established plans in place and the committee’s role was to make recommendations to Council on the advancement of the plan.
The Township of Esquimalt is currently undertaking a comprehensive review of its Official Community Plan (OCP) and is engaging with several stakeholders including our residents to identify issues and concerns relating to the future enhancement and development of our community and various neighbourhoods. Social issues will form part of the discussion and review. After the updated OCP has been approved, it would be appropriate to review any major social issues that have been identified during that process and determine whether to undertake additional focused and enhanced public engagement in the development of a social plan or other type of neighbourhood or community plan to address any of these specific issues. Following the creation of a specific plan to address identified community social issues, Council could consider whether an advisory committee should be formed to assist in moving the approved plan forward.
In addition, during the 2016 Strategic Planning update, Council determined that the appropriate time to review the continuation or establishment of committees was during the strategic planning process. That way, Council could ensure that any committees would be directly tied to assisting Council and staff in meeting the identified strategic priorities. Accordingly, the consideration of establishment of a social planning committee should be tied to the strategic planning process.
ISSUES:
1. Rationale for Selected Option
Prior to establishing an advisory committee to provide advice on social issues, it is recommended that the OCP review be completed and that a specific plan be developed to address identified community social issues. Striking a committee in advance of adopting such a plan would not, in staff’s opinion, ensure a productive and effective working relationship between the committee, Council and staff.
2. Organizational Implications
If a social planning advisory committee were established, it would require one of the staff from the Development Services Department to act as Staff Liaison and one additional staff person to act as recording secretary. This would impose a significant increase on the current staff workload.
3. Financial Implications
There are no significant financial implications.
4. Sustainability & Environmental Implications
There are no sustainability or environmental implications.
5. Communication & Engagement
Significant public engagement is currently being undertaken as part of the process of OCP review. If Council were to determine that a social planning advisory committee were to be established, staff would prepare draft terms of reference for Council’s approval, and would advertise for committee membership. Alternatively, public engagement would form an integral part of the development of a social plan arising out of the OCP review process.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. That Council defer consideration of establishing a social planning advisory committee until after the approval of the updated Official Community Plan and the consideration of whether a subsequent community social plan should be developed in order to address any social issues identified during the OCP review process.
2. That Council defer consideration of establishing a social planning advisory committee to the 2017 strategic planning session.
3. That Council provide direction to staff to proceed with preparation of draft terms of reference for a social planning advisory committee for Council’s review.
4. That Council determine that it will not be establishing a social planning advisory committee.