Effective Meetings

Purpose & Foundations of Council Meetings 

• The role of council meetings in municipal governance and decision-making.
• What makes meetings effective and common challenges councils face.
• Shared responsibility of the chair and council members.
• How meeting practices influence outcomes and public confidence.

Roles of the Chair & Council Members 

• The chairs role in guiding debate, maintaining order and keeping meetings focused.
• Responsibilities of council members during discussion and decision-making.
• Supporting respectful participation and professionalism
• Managing participation and conduct during meetings

Meeting Rules & Authority 

• Why council’s use meeting rules and procedure.
• Relationship between the Municipal Government Act (MGA), procedure bylaws and meeting rules.
• Understanding how authority is exercised within meetings.
• Using procedure to support fairness and consistency.

Motions & Decision Making Tools   

• Purpose and structure of main motions
• Processing motions clearly and consistently.
• Using amendments, referrals, postponements and unanimous consent appropriately.
• Keeping decisions focused while avoiding unnecessary delay.

Debate, Conduct & Meeting Culture 

• Principles of effective and respectful debate.
• Managing disagreement and maintaining decorum.
• Addressing common meeting disruptions and challenges.
• Supporting a productive and professional meeting environment.

Practical Tools and Application 

1. Applying meeting tools to real council scenarios
2. Using agendas, scripts and minutes to support meeting flow
3. Identifying practical ways to improve meeting effectiveness.
4. Reflecting on meeting practices and council culture.