Meeting: Governance Committee
Date: 14 May 2021
Title: Appointments to Outside Bodies
By: Assistant Chief Executive
Purpose of Report: To enable the Committee to consider the appointments of members to outside bodies on which the County Council is represented
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RECOMMENDATION -
(1) To make a recommendation to the County Council on:
(a) the appointment of four councillors to attend the Local Government
Association’s General Assembly;
(b) which councillor should cast two votes;
(2) To make a recommendation to the County Council on:
(a) the allocation to political and independent groups of places on the East Sussex Fire Authority and the appointment of twelve councillors to the Authority;
(b) the appointment of four councillors to serve on the County Councils
Network Council;
(b) the appointment of a councillor to sit on the Coastal Issues Special Interest Group;
(c) the allocation to political groups of places on the Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority and the appointment of councillors to the Committee;
(d) the appointment of one councillor to serve on the South Downs National Park Authority;
(e) to remove the current appointments to the Conservators of Ashdown Forest and to appoint eight representatives to the Conservators of Ashdown Forest for a term of four years;
(e) the appointment of one member to serve on the Southern Regional Flood and Coastal Committee
(f) the appointment of one member to serve on the Joint Waste and Recycling Committee, and one substitute Member
(g) the substantive appointment of one member to serve on the Sussex Police and Crime Panel and one substitute member
(h) the appointment of one councillor to serve on the ACCESS Joint Governance Committee (Local Government Pension Scheme Investment Pooling)
(3) To agree that where necessary recommended appointees are given authority to attend meetings or take actions prior to the appointments being confirmed at the Council meeting on 25 May 2021.
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1. Background Information
1.1 The County Council is invited to appoint members (in some cases non-county
councillors are eligible) to serve on a wide range of outside bodies. Appointments are
normally made for the lifetime of the County Council. In the case of appointments being
made now the term will be to the date of the annual council meeting in the next County Council full election year unless otherwise indicated, although in most cases it is open to the County Council to change its representation at any time by resolution.
1.2 Most of the appointments to outside organisations will be dealt with by the Governance Committee at its meeting on the 29 June. There are, however, some bodies where a decision cannot wait until then and these are dealt with in this report. Appendix 1 provides details of these organisations, the current appointments and any particular requirements relating to that particular body.
1.3 There may be actions or attendance at meetings required before these appointments are confirmed by the County Council on 25 May. In these cases that Governance Committee is asked to agree that these activities can be carried out as an interim measure prior to the formal appointments being made.
PHILIP BAKER
Assistant Chief Executive
Contact officer: Andy Cottell
Telephone: 01273 481955
E-mail: andy.cottell@eastsussex.gov.uk
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Appointments made in 2017 or as updated |
Appointment requirements
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General Assembly of the Local Government Association
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Councillor Bennett Councillor Field Councillor Glazier Councillor Webb
Councillor Glazier has the second vote
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The County Council is entitled to appoint four members to attend the General Assembly of the Local Government Association which meets twice a year and the annual conference. It has five votes at the General Assembly and, therefore, one councillor should be allocated two votes.
Four Councillors to be nominated.
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East Sussex Fire Authority |
Councillor Barnes Councillor Chris Dowling Councillor Galley Councillor Lambert Councillor O’Keeffe Councillor Osborne Councillor Pragnell Councillor Scott Councillor Sheppard Councillor Smith Councillor Taylor Councillor Tutt
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Responsibility for the Fire Service in East Sussex rests with East Sussex Fire Authority. The Authority has 12 members of the County Council and 6 members of Brighton & Hove City Council. The political balance provisions apply to appointments to the Authority and the entitlement of each group will be as set out below:
Conservative – 7 Liberal Democrat – 3 Labour – 1 Green - 1 Independent Group - 0 Independent Democrat – 0
Twelve Councillors to be nominated
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County Council Network Council |
Councillor Bennett Councillor Glazier Councillor Tutt Councillor Webb
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The County Council is entitled to appoint four members to the County Council Network Council. The Council generally meets twice a year. The CCN Council agrees the work programme for the year and the audited accounts.
Four Councillors to be nominated |
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Coastal Issues Special Interest Group
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Councillor Elkin |
The LGA also has a Coastal Issues Special Interest Group. It discusses issues such as funding of coast protection; regeneration of coastal economies; and coastal management and environmental issues.
One Councillor to be nominated.
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Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority
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Councillor Lambert Councillor Loe Councillor Webb |
The political balance provisions apply to the County Council’s appointments to the Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority.
The entitlement of appointments to each group is: Conservative 2 and Liberal Democrat 1.
Three Councillors to be nominated.
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South Downs National Park Authority
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Councillor Chris Dowling |
The South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) is the organisation responsible for promoting the purposes of the National Park and the interests of the people who live and work within it.
One Councillor to be nominated.
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Conservators of Ashdown Forest
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Councillor Barnes Councillor Stephen Shing (nominated by the Labour Group) Councillor Stogdon Councillor Tidy Councillor Whetstone Mr M Cooper Mr T Reid Mrs R St Pierre
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The County Council appoints eight of the 15 Conservators. The Council representatives do not have to be Councillors. Of the remaining seven, two are appointed by Wealden District Council and five are elected by the commoners. In addition, the Chairman of the County Council serves on the Conservators to represent the County Council as Lord of the Manor. It is the duty of the Conservators to regulate and manage the Forest as an amenity and place of resort subject to the existing rights of common, to protect the Forest from encroachments and to conserve it as a quiet and natural area of outstanding beauty. The political balance provisions apply to the County Council’s appointments to the Conservators of Ashdown Forest.
Subject to the agreement of the County Council the entitlement of appointments to each group is: Conservative 5; Liberal Democrat 2; Labour 1
Eight Councillors or representatives to be nominated.
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Southern Regional Flood and Coastal Committee
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Councillor Claire Dowling |
The Committee is responsible for managing the functions of the Environment Agency relating to land drainage, including flood prevention and sea defence and for arranging for the discharge of these functions through the local Flood Defence Committees. Since 1997 the County Council has been entitled to make one appointment to the Committee jointly with Brighton & Hove City Council. From 1 April 2005, the County Council has a place in its own right.
One councillor to be nominated.
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Joint Waste and Recycling Committee |
Councillor Claire Dowling Councillor Elkin (substitute) |
Hastings Borough Council, Rother District Council, Wealden District Council and ESCC have established the Joint Waste and Recycling Committee with the intention of facilitating the authorities in working together to improve the quality and effectiveness of the discharge of their waste collection functions under the relevant provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The Joint Waste and Recycling Committee also facilitates the district and borough authorities to work in partnership with the County Council as the Waste Disposal Authority to maximise integration opportunities. The councillor appointed to this role has been the Lead Member for Transport and Environment. One councillor to be nominated and one substitute member to be nominated |
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Sussex Police and Crime Panel |
Councillor Bentley (Substantive appointment) Councillor Bowdler (substitute) Councillor Lambert (second representative) |
A Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex was elected on 15 November 2012. The Commissioner is accountable to the electorate for how crime is tackled in their area. The Police and Crime Panel provides checks and balances in relation to the performance of the Commissioner. Its role is to scrutinise the performance of the Commissioner and to ensure transparency. The councillor appointed to this role has been the Lead Member with responsibility for Community Safety One Substantive appointment and one substitute to be nominated. A second representative may be required to address any political proportionality issues in relation to the composition of the Panel. The appointment of a second representative (if necessary) will be considered by the Governance Committee.
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ACCESS Joint Governance Committee (Local Government Pension Scheme Investment Pooling) |
Councillor Fox |
In March 2017, the Council agreed that the East Sussex Pension Fund join the ACCESS Pool with 10 other Pension Funds. Investment pooling is intended to create the scale that will enable access to lower Investment Manager Fees and deliver savings to LGPS Funds. In the pooled investment structure individual funds will be responsible for investment strategy and asset allocation decisions. The ACCESS Pool is governed by the Joint Governance Committee made up one elected councillor from each authority’s Pension Committee. One councillor to be nominated |