City council meetings could be happening a lot earlier come 2019.
A report going to the corporate services committee Tuesday suggests holding council meetings in the morning. It also proposes changes to meeting times for standing committees and public participation meetings.
Right now council meets every other Tuesday at 4 p.m. The proposed changes would bump the meeting up six and a half hours to 9:30 a.m.
Standing committee meetings, such as the corporate services committee, with routine and non-controversial agenda items, would be held at 9:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. every two weeks on Monday and Tuesday.
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Public participation meetings or committee meetings that require public input would take place on Mondays and Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. Those meetings would only happen if necessary.
The city posted a survey to their website asking Londoners what they thought of the proposed meeting times.
Some praised the changes, citing things like councillor fatigue, not having to pay overtime, a better work-life balance and a decrease in staff burnout.
Those not in favour of the changes felt daytime meetings would limit who is able to attend and may even make it difficult for councillors to attend since many of them work other jobs. Opponents also said the changes could discourage potential candidates from running because they work during the day.
WATCH: Scheduling and long meetings an issue for some council members
Tuesday’s committee meeting is a public participation meeting. The committee will review the proposed changes as well as a prepared draft of the suggested 2019 meetings calendar.
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