Appendix 7 – Linden Court – Summary of all comments regarding district and borough authorities, a potential new unitary and other system partners at the Cabinet Meeting 25^th February 2025

Summary of comment under agenda item 9 – Proposal to close the Linden Court Day service for people with a learning disability and re-provision services in Eastbourne as a satellite of Beeching Park.

Item:	Speaker	Start time:	End time:	Summary of comments	Notes
Item 9: Linden Court closure report	Mark Stainton	45.50	46.00	Referenced using Working Wonders service in Hastings as a part of re-provisioning Beeching Park	Raised in context of re provisioning options.
Item 9: Linden Court closure report	Councillor Tutt	51.15	51.20	Referenced Government spending review and plans for a multi-year settlement, which could possibly result in additional funding	Raised in context of re provisioning options.
Item 9: Linden Court closure report	Councillor Tutt	51.40	51.50	Requested to look at other ESCC department budgets for savings to ‘spread the pain and burden across the wider community’ to keep Linden Court open	Raised in context of re provisioning options.
Item 9: Linden Court closure report	Councillor Shuttleworth	54.12	54.15	Mentioned Healthwatch & NHS representations, as part of consultation process, in the report to Cabinet, and the analysis of how changes will affect adults.	Raised in context of re provisioning options.

Summary of comments under agenda item 5 - Adult Social Care 2025/26 Proposals Overarching Report

Item:	Who?	Start time:	End time:	What was said?	Notes
Item 5. ASC proposals	Mark Stainton	00:6.29	00:6.37	It was noted that system partners have also responded and whilst understanding the financial challenges, are concerned about the additional demand that will be generated.
Item 5: ASC proposals	Councillor Tutt	00:08:45	00:08:49	Stated that we also know [ESCC] will be ending in a couple of years from now
Item 5: ASC proposals	Councillor Tutt	00:09:29	00:09:54	Stated that consultation has taken place and the vast majority of people who have replied have said they are opposed to the measures looking to impose
Item 5: ASC proposals	Councillor Tutt	00:10:47	00:11:17	Stated that if the proposals go ahead there will be an impact on the public purse through increased pressure on the NHS and Boroughs and Districts. Councillor Tutt, referenced that under the new unitary authority, of which ESCC will be part, responsibilities will join together.
Item 5: ASC proposals	Councillor Daniel	00:14:33	00:14:56	Stated that it is a time of flux and we will be going into a unitary situation… and that in parts of these cuts costs would be being transferred onto Districts and Boroughs and so if you look overall it makes no sense.
Item 5: ASC proposals	Councillor Daniel	00:15:06	00:15:28	Stated that a holding position would be better so the unitary authority can then consider things as a whole; and that one proposal saves ESCC £4.5 million but costs districts and Boroughs £9 million and that this makes no sense.	This is a reference to unverified numbers provided as part of the feedback within the Housing Related Floating Support papers
Item 5: ASC proposals	Councillor Daniel	00:15:31	00:16:02	Stated that he understood the situation but called to use more reserves.  Stated that although this was not tenable in the long run, ESCC would only exist in its current form for the next couple of years and therefore the timing was not beneficial to make ‘dramatic decisions that will do real harm’.
Item 5: ASC proposals	Councillor Shing	00:17:00	00:17:19	Stated that he understood the funding shortage but called for continuing the service ahead of mayoral elections so that it could continue in a unitary authority.	Recording cut out at 00:17:19 and started again on Councillor Maples at 18:50
Item 5: ASC proposals	Councillor Maples	00:18:50	00:18:57	Stated that proposals will also have a major impact on other services.
Item 5: ASC proposals	Councillor Maples	00:18:58	00:19:40	Stated that in a short time the history of this Council will be done and we will be moving to a unitary, and that what is being set up here makes it less and less possible for that unitary to be successful or to make a success of serving the community which will elect it.
Item 5: ASC proposals	Councillor Scott	00:22:07	00:22:30	Stated we have heard about concerns over the long term regarding East Sussex County Council and where it will end up and we don’t know at this point.  Stated that everything points to a unitary of some sort and we don’t know what the funding streams will be then.
Item 5: ASC proposals	Councillor Hilton	00:26:34	00:27:13	Stated that there’s a willingness in the report that the 5 local housing authorities would be willing to come together to try and respond to the proposed cuts and that this has been rejected.  Stated that this was a really short-sighted cut and to actively delay the cut to look at cross sector working on this, something we are going to have to do given local government reorganisation so that we don’t lose a valuable service that is going to cost us a lot of money in the future	This is a reference to proposals around Supported Accommodation and Housing Related Floating Support proposal
Item 5: ASC proposals	Councillor Stanley	00:28:58	00:29:20	In response to comments on the use of reserves and local government reorganisation, stated that we all know reserves can only be spent once and the idea in 2 years it will be someone else and so it doesn’t matter is worrying, and that to bankrupt the unitary before it starts would not help the people of East Sussex.
Item 5: ASC proposals	Mark Stainton	00:40:04	00:40:51	Stated that Councillor Hilton’s comment that there was a rejection of some offer to work with the housing authorities was not recognised.  Stated there have been conversations with all of the Boroughs and Districts, noting they are at an early stage but he is hopeful that regardless of decisions we will be able to work together and with our strategic partner BHT Sussex to come up with some solution to provision, but clarified there had not been any rejection of an approach from the Boroughs and Districts.	This is in reference to proposals around Supported Accommodation and Housing Related Floating Support proposal