Caslin files FOI request for expenses
Niagara Region Chairman Alan Caslin hopes to ensure expenses incurred by councillors during the past seven years are publicly available, while also making it easier to access remuneration reports filed during the past 20 years.
In a media release issued Monday afternoon, Caslin said he filed a freedom of information request with the clerk’s office, that asks for all available council expense claims filed since Jan. 1, 2010.
By doing so, he said he hopes to “trigger legislative requirements, ensuring all available regional council expense information will be compiled for release in a timely manner.”
“This action is another step forward in the focus that regional council and I have placed on accountability and transparency at the Niagara Region during this term of council,” he said in the release.
Under the Region’s record retention bylaw, councillor expense records are only kept for seven years.
Remuneration reports, however, are kept permanently, and making 20 years of those council remuneration reports easily accessible to the public “aligns with the Region’s strategic plan in doing business differently and continuous improvement,” he said.
Caslin’s FOI request follows a recent council decision to develop the Region’s first councillor expense policy, which provides guidelines regarding eligible and ineligible expenses.
That policy is being reviewed by council’s corporate services committee, along with plans to publish councillor expenses on the region’s website.
Caslin’s request also follows FOI requests filed by Postmedia for all expenses related to the current term of council. The Region has told Postmedia it may cost $500 to process the request for mileage expenses alone, and an extension beyond the 30-day mandatory response time may be required.