City and county politicians to meet for first time in almost 8 years

LONDON, ONT. -- London and Middlesex County politicians will hold a rare joint meeting next week to discuss a number of long-simmering issues.

City Councillor Josh Morgan says, “This will be the first time that we will have met formally under the memorandum of understanding that was created.”

It will, in fact, be the first formal meeting in seven-and-a-half years.

The joint city-county liaison committee will meet next Wednesday afternoon, for the first time since Nov. 2012.

The agenda includes several contentious topics of shared responsibility including social housing, ambulance costs and the province’s proposal to merge health units.

The meeting will be conducted virtually because of physical distancing rules.

Morgan says it is an opportunity to work together on areas of common interest, but it is just a first step.

“The city/county liaison committee is not a decision-making body, it’s like a committee. It would propose items back to both city council and county council for their approval. So it really is a forum for discussion.”