Sooke council has taken a step towards adopting a code of conduct that would govern the mayor, councillors, and committee members both in and out of council chamber.
 
But council will take the summer to consider it further.
 
Municipal councils must decide on adopting a code of conduct within six months of being sworn in or provide written reasons for not doing so.
 
Council earlier this year directed staff to develop a code of conduct.
 
"We know we need to get things done. It is a requirement. It is not a nice-to-have item. We must do it, that's what the province says," Mayor Maja Tait said.
 
District staff tabled a draft code of conduct bylaw on 24 Jul 2023.
 
The 16 page document addresses harassment, abuse of office, etiquette, conflict of interest, social media, handling of confidential or personal information, interference with staff or committees, and preventing the outside activities of council members from undermining their integrity on council.
 
Recent conflicts within council and media have highlighted the need for a code of conduct.
 
In 2016, an argument between the mayor's husband and a councillor became so intense that the police had to investigate.
 
In December of that same year, council employees left a meeting following inquiries raised by a council observer about the budget.
 
In October 2021, a councillor commented inappropriately to a Sooke News Mirror reporter.
 
A well-defined code of conduct would prevent such conflicts from occurring.
 
Still, it would also provide a framework for addressing them transparently and ethically, ensuring that the council's actions are in the community's best interest.
 
The Union of BC Municipalities, Ministry of Municipal Affairs, and the Local Government Management Association have jointly created resources for local governments to develop a code of conduct.
 
The district staff used codes of conduct from other municipalities, such as Langford and Nanaimo, to develop the draft bylaw for Sooke.
 
The documents were similar, making it easier to create a comprehensive bylaw, said Sarah Temple, deputy corporate officer.
 
The district has operated under a code of ethics policy since 2011.
 
According to a staff report, it is recommended that council members adopt a bylaw instead of a policy, as a bylaw cannot be waived by council like a policy that serves more as a set of guidelines.
 
Council has the authority to amend a bylaw, but it must follow a formal process.
 
"The intent is for this document to be taken away by council members for review over the next couple of months," said Temple.
 
The code of conduct will be back before council this fall.
 
Kevin Liard.