Lead Member for Resources and Climate Change
DECISIONS made by the Lead Member for Resources and Climate Change, Councillor Nick Bennett, on 31 March 2026 at Remote Meeting via Microsoft Teams
58. Decisions made by the Lead Cabinet Member on 2 March 2026
58.1 The Lead Member approved as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 2 March 2026.
59. Disclosure of Interests
59.1 There were none.
60. Urgent items
60.1 There were none.
61. Reports
61.1 Reports referred to in the minutes below are contained in the minute book.
62. Write-off of Debts 2025/26
62.1 The Lead Member considered a report by the Chief Operating Officer together with exempt information in a later agenda item.
DECISIONS
62.2 The Lead Member RESOLVED to:
1) Approve the writing-off of 14 debts amounting to £308,272.83 in the Council’s 2025/2026 accounts;
2) Note that provision is made for bad and doubtful debts; and
3) Note the current debt position and positive steps being put in place to make improvements.
REASON
62.3 There is no prospect of recovering the 14 outstanding debts. Despite efforts made to recover the outstanding sums, all routes have now been exhausted.
63. Dilapidations Settlement - St Mark's House, Eastbourne
63.1 The Lead Member considered a report by the Chief Operating Officer together with exempt information in a later agenda item.
DECISIONS
63.2 The Lead Member RESOLVED to:
1) Agree that the Council seeks to settle the claim by mutual agreement in the first instance, as set out in paragraph 2.2 of the report; and
2) Delegate authority to the Chief Operating Officer, in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer, to take all actions necessary to give effect to the recommendations in the report, including, but not limited to, approving the amount of any settlement.
REASONS
63.3 The Council has taken appropriate professional advice with regard to the Landlord’s dilapidations claim in respect of St Mark’s House, Eastbourne.
63.4 The Council will seek to mutually agree the settlement of the claim with the Landlord in the first instance to limit the Council’s exposure to additional risk and cost.
63.5 Delegating authority to the Chief Operating Officer in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer to take all actions necessary to give effect to the recommendations in the report, including, but not limited to, approving the amount of the settlement, the estimate for which is detailed in an exempt report later on the agenda, will facilitate the timely completion of the settlement.
64. Exclusion of the Public and Press
64.1 It was RESOLVED to exclude the public and press from the meeting for the remaining agenda item on the grounds that if the public and press were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as specified in paragraphs 1 and 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), namely information which relates to one or more individuals and information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).
65. Write-off of Debts 2025/26 - Exempt Information
65.1 The Lead Member considered a report by the Chief Operating Officer which provided exempt information in support of an earlier item on the agenda.
DECISION
65.2 The Lead Member RESOLVED to note the exempt information in relation to an earlier item on the agenda.
REASON
65.3 The report contained exempt information in relation to an earlier item on the agenda.
66. Dilapidations Settlement – St Mark’s House, Eastbourne – Exempt Information
66.1 The Lead Member considered a report by the Chief Operating Officer which provided exempt information in support of an earlier item on the agenda.
DECISION
66.2 The Lead Member RESOLVED to note the exempt information in relation to an earlier item on the agenda.
REASON
66.3 The report contained exempt information in relation to an earlier item on the agenda.