Meeting of
East Sussex County Council
on Tuesday, 24 March 2026
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, County Hall, Lewes, on Tuesday, 24 March 2026 at 10.00 am to transact the following business
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1. |
Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 10 February 2026 (Pages 5 - 20)
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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 21 - 28)
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6. |
Report of the Governance Committee (Pages 29 - 30)
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7. |
Notice of Motion - Digital ID scheme (Pages 31 - 32)
The Chairman has directed under Standing Order 36.9 (1) that the following Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor Tutt shall stand referred to the County Council.
This Council resolves to:
1. Formally oppose the Labour Government’s Digital ID plans; 2. Request the Leader of the Council writes to: · The Secretary of State for the Home Office and the Minister for Digital Infrastructure expressing this Council’s firm opposition to Labour’s Digital ID system and calling for the plans to be scrapped. · Members of Parliament across East Sussex asking for their firm commitment to oppose Labour’s Digital ID system and ask them to confirm that they will instead advocate for the cost to be diverted in to settling SEND deficits nationally. 3. Work with local voluntary, digital inclusion and civil liberties groups to ensure that no resident in East Sussex is penalised or excluded as a result of any national identification scheme.
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8. |
Notice of Motion - Highways (Pages 33 - 36)
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.
This Council resolves to: Request the Cabinet to bring the highways service back into council ownership and control by 2030. This will likely involve: · Adopting an "In-house by Default" and Intelligent Client Policy, making direct delivery the baseline against which all future outsourcing proposals are measured. · Mandating a formal Insourcing and Council Ownership Feasibility Study for the Highways Term Maintenance Contract (TMC) no later than 18 months before its expiry. · Developing a "Public Interest Test" for all major contracts, assessing: o Financial Transparency: Removal of contractor profit margins. o Social Value: Ensuring the Real Living Wage and local apprenticeships. o Agility: The ability to redirect resources instantly without contractual penalty.
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9. |
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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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 Chris Webster, Curate – All Saints Eastbourne. 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 16 March 2026