Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke has set up a task force to review the Council Initiative Fund policy in an effort to keep a better tab on how cash from the fund is being distributed.
"I've noticed lately we're getting a lot of council initiative fund requests and I just think it's really important that we have some guidelines about how we do it," Locke said. "I know that we have had some requests that are for a significant amount of money and I think it's important that there's some equity in how we deal with it.
"We're not always sure how much we should be giving to every organization."
City staff was asked to report back with recommendations to update the policy by council's first meeting in September.
Council Initiative Fund money is typically used for city celebrations, community projects, sponsorships, economic development and image-building initiatives and capital contributions, with the money allotted to organizations and individuals in good standing with the City of Surrey's bylaws and standards. It's not to be used for events that are run by the City of Surrey itself, as funding for such things are supposed to be included in the City's annual operating budget.
Councillors Pardeep Kooner, Rob Stutt and Doug Elford have been assigned to this task force.
"It's really so we get some guidelines because these end up being all over the map. I think it would be good for all of us to be doing some checking," Locke said.
Last November, in preparation for the City's 2024 budget, results of an on-line survey and six open houses held throughout Surrey revealed that 77 per cent of respondents want more information of how their tax dollars are spent.
All told, 2,865 surveys were completed, 506 people attended the open houses and 50,725 were reached online and through newspaper ads. The data gathered revealed 96 per cent of those who responded to the survey live in Surrey, 28 per cent work in the city, 15 per cent own property in Surrey and six per cent own a business here.
