Legal Services

Greg Vanstone, Municipal Solicitor

Legal Services provides responsive, cost effective legal advice and risk management services to Council and staff. It also provides support services for other departments relating to land issues.

Role and Responsibilities

The Legal Services division involves providing legal advice to Council, department heads and staff on a broad range of issues affecting Delta, reviewing or drafting selected contracts and agreements, coordinating and supervising the provision of legal services by outside law firms in relation to litigation involving Delta, attending mediations of claims, drafting documents relating to land development and providing seminars to staff.

Risk Management involves identifying risks and making and implementing decisions to reduce the impact of risk on the assets and objectives of Delta. This is done through a program of risk control measures (policies and procedures) and risk financing arrangements (insurance and indemnities) designed to achieve levels of uncertainty acceptable to Council.

Land Management involves the acquisition and disposition of land for the municipality, negotiating and drafting rights of way for municipal services and negotiating, drafting and managing leases and licenses of municipal property and the valuation of property that the municipality owns or is interested in.

Objectives

• To satisfy the needs of Council, department heads and staff for timely, accurate and practical legal advice.
• To protect and advance the interests of Delta.
• To identify and minimize risks and manage risk in a cost effective manner.
• To ensure efficient and cost effective handling of litigation.
• To ensure approved development projects satisfy municipal goals and objectives.
• To manage leases of municipal property effectively.
• To facilitate the acquisition of roads and utility corridors.

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