City of Surrey's 2021 - 2025 Financial Plan

ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE

The purpose of the City of Surrey’s Policy Manual is to describe the policies as adopted by Council. It guides each General Manager in the operation of their department and enables staff to make decisions within a common, Council-approved framework. The Policy Manual guides Council members to make their decisions within existing policy and assists them when advising the general public on matters brought to their attention. The Community Charter and the Local Government Act in conjunction with Canadian public sector accounting standards, form the basis of the City’s Financial Plan and financial policies. These laws and standards drive financial planning calendar dates, specify financial planning controls, allow ways to amend the Financial Plan after adoption, and prescribe appropriate methods for financial planning, accounting, and reporting. In addition to Corporate Policies as adopted by Council, there are many corporate procedures and practices that provide guidance and direction to staff, typically these documents contain more detailed information compared to corporate policies and also are designed to be more fluid in nature, being updated based on organizational needs and workplace changes. The following are some key policies, procedures and practices utilized by the City: KEY POLICIES

DEVELOPMENT COST CHARGE AND CREDIT POLICY This policy specifies refund and credit opportunities available to applicants who have paid all or part of their Development Cost Charges (DCC), but have chosen to cancel their building permit. Opportunities are determined by the amount of DCC paid as well as the length of time the permit has been open. POLICY ON CITY GRANTS This policy specifies that the City will establish ongoing grants from year to year, as well as grants for one-time requests; what types of initiatives/ organizations are generally eligible for grants; what types of costs, grants can

INVESTMENT POLICY This policy stipulates that the City of Surrey will invest funds in a manner that provides an optimal blend of investment return and security while meeting daily cash flow demands and complying with the statutory requirements of the Community Charter. The policy states that City funds are to be invested prudently and that the City’s investment practices support the three fundamental objectives of safety, liquidity, and return on investment. EXPENSE POLICY This policy provides guidelines for employees and other authorized individuals with respect to travel and expense reimbursements. It defines approval authorities, per diem allowances, ineligible costs, and claim processing requirements.

and cannot cover; and official procedures for processing grant

requests, grant appeals and late grant applications, as well as setting the grant budget.

City of Surrey | 2021—2025 Financial Plan | Organizational Profile

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