Appendix 3

Responses to MHCLG questions re. East Sussex Structural Changes Order (SCO)

Q1: Where geographies align, would you prefer a preparing council and implementation executive model or a new council model with a joint committee?

As our geography aligns we would like a Preparing Council and Implementation Executive.

Q2: How many members from each relevant council would you prefer to sit on each Joint Committee or implementation executive, including the balance of members from different councils?

We would like the Implementation Executive to be 7 members: the Leader of each of the six councils in East Sussex with an additional member from the County Council.

Q3: Would you prefer for any individuals to be specified for the Chair/Deputy Chair roles, and if so, who?

We would prefer to decide our own Chair/Deputy Chair.

Q4. What are your views on any requirement for political balance in the implementation executive/joint committee(s)?

We would prefer no political balance requirements given the make-up requested at Q2 above.

Q5: What would be your preferences for the membership of the Implementation Team and whether roles should be specified?

We would prefer the membership of the Implementation Team to comprise the

• ESCC Head of Paid Service (also specified as leader of the team)
• Heads of Paid Service (or nominee) of all the districts and boroughs (with joint CEx of HBC, EBC and LDC specified as deputy leader of the team)
• ESCC Monitoring Officer
• ESCC Chief Finance Officer

We would prefer all other participants and supporting work streams to be determined locally.     

Q6: Who should be the returning officer for the first election to each of the new unitary councils, that proposals would see established?

We would prefer the ESCC CEx to be the Returning Officer.

Q7: Would you prefer for any parish council elections to be aligned with elections to the new councils?

Parish Council elections to be aligned in 2027.

Q8:  What would be your preferred name for the new council?

Name of the new council to be “East Sussex Council”.