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What are Councillor Ward Allowances & How Are They Invested Into The Community ?

Jun 18, 2015

Each year when the City of Winnipeg Capital and Operating budgets are approved, all City Councillors receive a Ward Allowance. The value of the Ward Allowance is the same – regardless of the size of population within the ward. The 2015 Capital Budget contained a Councillor’s Ward Allowance (CWA) of $79,924 for the year.

 

The CWA, formerly referred to as the Councillors’ Representation Allowance, is guided by a policy that provides rules, guidelines, responsibilities and procedures with regard to the expenditure of funds by Councillors.  To view the policy, visit CRA Fund Policy.  Subsequent changes can be viewed at:

 

City Councillors use the CWA to deliver services as well as support activities and initiatives within their ward.  Details of the Councillor ward expenditures can be found on the ACCOUNTABILITY page of my website.  Additional information is also available in the 2014 Annual Report from the Audit Department (CRA 2014 Audit), as well as the 2015 Report to Governance Committee which contained recommendations from the Auditor (CRA 2015 Recommendations).

 

For the South Winnipeg-St.Norbert Ward, I am investing a significant portion of the CWA funding into three areas in 2015:

1. Experienced Assistant:  In her role as Manager of Operations & Community Liaison, Beverley provides support to me in my roles at City Hall and within the Ward, and assists in responding to the needs of 53,444 residents in the South Winnipeg-St.Norbert ward.

2. Interactive Website:  During the 2014 election campaign, I knocked on thousands of doors and spoke to many, many residents.  I was told countless times that residents wanted a good line of communication with their Councillor.   It became very clear to me that communication was a key priority.  To date, we have invested in building an interactive website that is updated weekly with Ward activities and initiatives. The  website has been live for about 6 months, and we are continuing to refine it to better meet the needs of the South Winnipeg-St.Norbert Ward. This is a “first year” investment which is now complete.  To supplement the website, we are also sending out monthly E-Newsletters and special bulletins, as well as regularly posting to Twitter (@JaniceLukes) and Facebook (CouncillorJaniceLukes).

3. Community Consultations:  As of June 18, 2015,  I have hosted eight community consultation events on a wide variety of topics to better understand community needs and to gather suggestions and ideas.  These events require expenditures for room rentals and promotion, and are well worth the investment as they enable conversation and guidance on issues that directly impact our lives, community and future within the South Winnipeg-St. Norbert Ward.

 

These key investments are setting the foundation, and enabling me to provide excellent service to the South Winnipeg-St. Norbert Ward constituents during my 4-year term.  I welcome any comments you may have.

 

 

Twitter short link:  https://janicelukes.ca/?p=2340