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By-Law 2023-106 Schedule A - IT Policy (2)1-011 Page 1 of 4 CATEGORY Policy 1-011: IT Policies Approval and Adoption Policy Approval Date: December, 11 2023 Approval Authority: Council, Resolution # 2023-579 Effective Date: December 11, 2023 Next Scheduled Review Year: 2027 Department: Corporate Services Last reviewed: Revision Date/s: Schedules: POLICY STATEMENT This policy establishes a comprehensive and structured framework for approving, reviewing, and adopting Information Technology (IT) policies within the Town of Tillsonburg. It is designed to ensure that the IT branch of Corporate Services Department has the delegated authority to develop and implement policies that safeguard technology, data, systems, and users while strictly adhering to recognized industry best practices. The adoption of this policy signifies a key shift in the governance of IT policy-making within the Town of Tillsonburg. Specifically, it grants the IT branch, alongside the Director of Corporate Services and the Senior Leadership Team, the autonomy to create, revise, and update IT policies to respond to the rapidly evolving technological landscape, emerging security threats, and changing regulatory requirements. This approach is intended to streamline the policy development process, allowing for more agile and responsive IT governance. 1-011 Page 2 of 4 PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to: Ensure that all IT policies are consistent, up-to-date, and aligned with the Town of Tillsonburg's overall strategic objectives, legal requirements, and best practices in IT governance. Empower the IT branch of Corporate Services Department with the authority to develop and enforce policies that protect the Town of Tillsonburg's technological infrastructure, data privacy, and system security. SCOPE This policy applies to all IT-related policies and procedures within the Town of Tillsonburg, affecting all departments, employees, contractors, and third-party vendors involved in managing, operating, and using IT resources as established within the internal IT Policy Manual. DEFINITIONS IT Policy Manual: Any formal document, endorsed by the Senior Leadership Team, that dictates how IT resources and processes should be managed and used within the Town of Tillsonburg. IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURE 1. Policy Development 1.1 IT policies shall be developed by the Corporate Services Department – IT Branch in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, ensuring alignment with industry standards for data and system security. 1.2 Policies must align with the Town of Tillsonburg strategic objectives and IT industry best practices, including data protection and cybersecurity measures. 2. Policy Review and Approval 2.1 Draft policies to be included within the IT Policy Manual are to be reviewed by the Senior Leadership Team (SLT). 2.2 The review process includes assessing the policy's relevance, effectiveness, and compliance with legal and industry standards. 1-011 Page 3 of 4 3. Policy Adoption 3.1 Once approved, policies are to be formally adopted and communicated to all relevant parties. 3.2 Adoption includes training sessions and distribution of policy documents as necessary. 4. Ongoing Review and Updates 4.1 Each IT policy within the manual will be reviewed annually by the Corporate Services Department. 4.2 Impact Assessment: Conduct an impact assessment for each policy, which is to be reviewed upon creation and annually thereafter. 4.3 Revisions to policies must follow the same process as initial approvals. 4.4 Strategic Alignment Checkpoint: Before submission for final review, each policy must pass a strategic alignment checkpoint, ensuring consistency with the municipality's broader goals. 5. Compliance and Enforcement 5.1 Compliance with IT policies is mandatory. 5.2 Non-compliance will be addressed as per the Town of Tillsonburg's disciplinary procedures or release of the product/vendor, as the situation may warrant. 5.3 Feedback Mechanism: Establish a structured process for staff, council members and other stakeholders to provide feedback on IT policies. 6. Record Keeping 6.1 All policy documents and revisions must be recorded and stored securely. 6.2 The Policy Manual is to be made accessible to vendors on an as need basis. 7. Exception Handling 7.1 Requests for exceptions to any IT policy must be submitted in writing to the Director of Corporate Services or CAO. 1-011 Page 4 of 4 7.2 All granted exceptions shall be documented within the Policy Manual and may be altered or revoked if warranted. 8. Policy Dissemination 8.1 Policies will be made available to all staff and relevant stakeholders through the Town of Tillsonburg intranet or other communication channels.