EAST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL

Notice under The Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012

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On 24 February 2026 the County Council intends to hold a meeting of Cabinet where the following item will be considered: Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources (RPPR): Draft Council Plan 2026/27, Revenue Budget and Capital Programme.

The purpose of the item is:

To ask Cabinet to approve the draft Council Plan, Revenue Budget and Capital Programme for 2026/27 for recommendation to the County Council (including Equality Impact Assessment, Engagement and Scrutiny feedback).

Under the requirements of Regulation 9 of The Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2021, the Council is required to give 28 days’ notice of a key decision identified within the scope of these regulations.

It is considered that the item referred to above would be a key decision and for the reasons of urgency set out below, compliance is considered impracticable, and an exception to Regulation 9 is therefore sought under Regulation 10 of the above Regulations. It is considered impracticable to comply with the requirements of The Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2021 because:

Under the Local Government Finance Act 1992, the Council has a legal obligation to set an annual balanced budget prior to 11 March for the forthcoming financial year. Whilst the responsibility for determining the Council’s budget rests with Full Council, Full Council does so based on recommendations made to it by Cabinet.

Although Cabinet considered this item at a meeting on 27 January 2026, the Cabinet may need to consider a revised budget if a response to the Council’s request for Exceptional Financial Support is received which, in the opinion of the Chief Finance Officer, is materially different to that which was anticipated and on which the budget, agreed by the Cabinet at its meeting on 27 January, and recommended to Council to consider on 10 February, was predicated.

In order to comply with the requirements and timeframes set out in the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules in Part 4 of East Sussex County Council’s Constitution, and to ensure that the Council is able to set a balanced budget ahead of 11 March it is not possible to delay this decision to meet the 28 days’ notice required for a Key Decision.

Accordingly, a copy of this notice shall be available pursuant to Regulation 5(6) for at least 5 clear days prior to 24 February 2026.

Date: 2 February 2026

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On [insert meeting date] *DELETE ONE OF THE NEXT TWO SENTENCES AS APPROPRIATE*the County Council intends to hold a meeting of FIELD_DMTITLE where the following item will be considered: FIELD_TITLE. The FIELD_DMTITLE will consider the following item: FIELD_TITLE.

The purpose of the item is:

[insert description of decision]

Under the requirements of Regulation 9 of The Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2021, the Council is required to give 28 days’ notice of a key decision identified within the scope of these regulations.

It is considered that the item referred to above would be a key decision and for the reasons of urgency set out below, compliance is considered impracticable, and an exception to Regulation 9 is therefore sought under Regulation 10 of the above Regulations. It is considered impracticable to comply with the requirements of The Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2021 because:.

[insert reason as to why the decision cannot reasonably be deferred]

Accordingly, a copy of this notice shall be available pursuant to Regulation 5(6) for at least 5 clear days prior to [insert date of decision]

Date: [insert date of publishing this notice]

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