Report to:	Governance Committee
Date:	24 September 2025
By:	Deputy Chief Executive
Title of report:	Appointments to Outside Bodies
Purpose of report:	To consider appointments to outside bodies on which the County Council is represented
RECOMMENDATION The Governance Committee is recommended to appoint Councillors to serve on the outside bodies as set out in Appendix 1 of this report.

1. Supporting Information

1.1      The County Council is invited to appoint Members (and in some cases non-County Councillors are eligible) to serve on a range of outside bodies whose role has a relationship to a function of the County Council. The appointments are a vital part of the County Council’s working in partnership with voluntary sector bodies, statutory agencies and the public and private sectors.

1.2      At its meetings held on 22 April and 24 June 2024, the Governance Committee resolved to appoint Councillor Peter Pragnell as a representative to the following outside bodies:

• East Sussex Fire Authority;
• Hastings Plan for Neighbourhoods Board;
• Coombe Valley Countryside Park Community Interest Company (substitute);
• Hastings Safer Community Partnership (substitute); and
• Rother Safer Community Partnership (substitute).

1.3  The appointments were made for a term until the date of the annual council meeting in the next Council election year, or (where applicable) the Councillor ceases to be a member of the Council, whichever is sooner, or unless the appointee resigns or is removed before then.

1.4 Following the sad news of Councillor Pragnell’s death, it is necessary to appoint to the vacant seats on the outside bodies listed in Appendix 1 of this report.

1.5 Appointments to the East Sussex Fire Authority are determined in accordance with rules of political proportionality. The proportionality calculations have been considered, and the allocations remain the same. Consequently, the Conservative group retains the right to fill the current vacancy on this external body.

1.6     Unless otherwise stated appointments are made for a term until the

date of the annual council meeting in the next Council election year, or (where applicable) the Councillor ceases to be a member of the Council whichever is

the sooner, or unless the appointee resigns or is removed before then.

2. Recommendation

2.1     The Committee is recommended to appoint Councillors to serve on the outside bodies as set out in Appendix 1 of the report, for the term set out in paragraph 1.5 above.

2.2       Appointing new Councillors to these outside bodies allows the Council to maintain representation after the passing of Councillor Pragnell and continue fulfilling its partnership responsibilities.

PHILIP BAKER

Deputy Chief Executive

Contact Officer: Hannah Matthews

Tel:  01273 335138

E-mail: hannah.matthews@eastsussex.gov.uk

Background Documents

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