Meeting of
East Sussex County Council
on Tuesday, 8 July 2025
at 10.00 am
NOTE: As part of the County Council’s drive to increase accessibility to its public meetings, this meeting will be broadcast live on its website and the record archived. The live broadcast is accessible at: https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/your-council/videos-of-council-meetings/webcasts
EAST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL
To the Members of the County Council
You are summoned to attend a meeting of the East Sussex County Council to be held in the Council Chamber, at County Hall, Lewes, on Tuesday, 8 July 2025 at 10.00 am to transact the following business
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1. |
Minutes of the meeting held on 20 May 2025 (Pages 5 - 28)
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2. |
Apologies for absence
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3. |
Chairman's business
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4. |
Questions from members of the public
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5. |
Report of the Cabinet (Pages 29 - 46)
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6. |
Cabinet priorities for the forthcoming year
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7. |
Notice of Motion - Planning and Infrastructure Bill and the natural environment (Pages 47 - 50)
The Chairman has directed under Standing Order 36.9 (1) that the following Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor Taylor shall stand referred to the County Council.
East Sussex has a significant number of nature protected areas including National Landscapes, and National and Local Nature Reserves, that are essential for the local ecosystem survival and for carbon sequestration (of national relevance) and the survival of seriously endangered insects, wildlife and plant life. This Council does not accept the current Part 3 of the new Bill and will do everything we can to ensure our essential protected areas do not get destroyed by development.
This Council calls on the Leader to write to the Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Angela Rayner MP and the Right Honourable Steve Reed, to request: ● That Part 3 of the Bill is withdrawn (or, if not, accept substantial amendments to improve protection and regeneration of nature in this part) ● That positive proposals for nature are added to other parts of the Bill ● Assurance that East Sussex nature protected sites remain fully protected
This Council also request that the Leader of the Council write to our local MPs asking them to support amendments to the bill that address the concerns outlined in the motion, and in the event that the bill remains substantially the same, to call on our MPs to vote against its adoption on the grounds that it will set back nature recovery whilst failing to help deliver either truly the affordable housing or the social housing local people need.
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8. |
Questions from County Councillors
a) Oral questions to Cabinet Members b) Written questions of which notice has been given pursuant to Standing Order 44
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9. |
Report of the East Sussex Fire Authority (Pages 51 - 54)
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Note: There will be a period for collective prayers and quiet reflection in the Council Chamber from 9.30 am to 9.45 am. The prayers will be led by Major Ralph Walker QVA, Commanding Officer, Eastbourne Salvation Army. The Chairman would be delighted to be joined by any members of staff and Councillors who wish to attend.
County Hall
St Anne's
Crescent
LEWES
East Sussex BN7 1UE
PHILIP BAKER
Deputy Chief Executive 30 June 2025