Agenda and minutes

31.1     RESOLVED – to confirm as a correct record minutes of the County Council meeting held on 18 July 2023.

32.1     Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Sam Adeniji, Matthew Beaver, Alan Hay, Johanna Howell, Peter Pragnell, and Colin Swansborough.

COUNCILLOR PRAGNELL

33.1     The Chairman announced that Councillor Pragnell was unable to attend the meeting.

WELCOME

33.2     The Chairman welcomed Councillor Anne Cross and Councillor Brett Wright to their first County Council meeting.

CHAIRMAN’S ACTIVITIES

33.3     The Chairman reported that Councillor Pragnell had attended a number of events since the last Council meeting, including the Bishop of Chichester’s reception and choral evensong, the commemorations for the Dieppe Raid, the Newhaven and Ravilious celebration, the Battle of Britain dinner at the Seahaven branch of the Royal Society of St. George, and the civic service of the Chair of Rother District Council.

33.4     The Chairman also reported that he had attended the Mayor of Eastbourne’s Harvest Festival civic service, the Mayor and Young Mayor of Seaford’s civic reception, and the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Awards ceremony.

33.5     The Chairman congratulated Dawn Whittaker, Chief Fire Officer, on the award of the King’s Fire Service Medal which had recently been presented to her by The Princess Royal.

33.6     The Chairman also congratulated Councillor Stephen Shing following Polegate Town Council’s decision to bestow the title of Honorary Freeman upon him.

33.7     The Chairman also reported that in recognition of its commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant, the Council received a Gold Standard Award for its pledge to support current and former military service personnel and their families. The Chairman thanked on behalf of the Council all those who had helped secure the award.

PETITIONS

33.8     The following petition was presented before the meeting:

Councillor Rodohan    - calling on the County Council to introduce traffic calming measures including a 20mph speed limit, relevant mandatory signs and occasional radar checks to deliver safety in Southfields Road, Eastbourne.

PRAYERS

33.9     The Chairman thanked Reverend Paddy MacBain, Vicar at All Saints Danehill with Chelwood Gate for leading prayers before the meeting.

34.1     Copies of the questions from members of the public and the answers from Councillor Claire Dowling (Lead Member for Transport and Environment) are attached to these minutes. One supplementary question was asked and responded to.

35.1     There were no declarations of interest.

·                     Heathfield and Mayfield

·                     Eastbourne - Meads

36.1     The County Council agreed to receive the Notice of the Returning Officer certifying the election of a County Councillor for the Heathfield and Mayfield division at the by-election held on 27 July 2023 and a County Councillor for the Eastbourne – Meads division at the by-election held on 3 August 2023.

37.1     The Chairman of the County Council, having called over the reports set out in the agenda, reserved the following for discussion:

Cabinet report – paragraph 1 (Council Monitoring Q1 2023/24), paragraph 2 (Scrutiny Review of Equality and Inclusion in Adult Social Care and Health), paragraph 3 (Annual Progress Report on the County Council’s Climate Emergency Plan), and paragraph 4 (East Sussex, South Downs and Brighton & Hove Waste and Minerals Local Plan Review).

People Scrutiny Committee report – paragraph 1 (Scrutiny Review of Equality and Inclusion in Adult Social Care and Health).

Leader and Lead Member for Strategic Management and Economic Development report – paragraph 1 (Gatwick Airport Limited (GAL) - Gatwick Northern Runway Project (NRP) and the current Development Consent Order (DCO) application).

NON-RESERVED PARAGRAPHS

37.2     On the motion of the Chairman and the County Council, the Council adopted those paragraphs in reports that had not been reserved for discussion as follows:

Cabinet report – paragraph 5 (Ashdown Forest Trust Fund)

Governance Committee report – paragraph 1 (Amendment to Constitution – Scheme of Delegation to Officers), paragraph 2 (Co-opted Independent Members on the Audit Committee), paragraph 3 (Appointments of Members to Committees, Sub Committees and Panels), paragraph 4 (Appointments to Outside Bodies), paragraph 5 (Review of the County Council’s procedure for considering Notices of Motion), and paragraph 6 (Amendment to the Constitution – Public Questions).

Paragraph 1 (Council Monitoring Q1 2023/24)

38.1     Councillor Bennett introduced the reserved paragraph in the Cabinet report.

38.2     The paragraph was noted after debate.

Paragraph 2 (Scrutiny Review of Equality and Inclusion in Adult Social Care and

Health)

38.3     The Chairman reminded the Council that he was taking paragraph 2 of the

Cabinet report with the report of the People Scrutiny Committee.

Paragraph 3 (Annual Progress Report on the County Council’s Climate Emergency

Plan)

38.4     Councillor Bennett introduced the reserved paragraph in the Cabinet report.

38.5     The paragraph was noted after debate.

Paragraph 4 (East Sussex, South Downs and Brighton & Hove Waste and Minerals

Local Plan Review)

38.6     Councillor Claire Dowling introduced the reserved paragraph in the Cabinet

report.

38.7     The paragraph was noted after debate.

Paragraph 1 (Scrutiny Review of Equality and Inclusion in Adult Social Care and Health)

39.1     The Chairman reminded the Council that he was taking paragraph 1 of this report with paragraph 2 of the Cabinet’s report.

39.2     Councillor Ungar moved the adoption of paragraph 1 of the Scrutiny Committee’s report.

39.3     Councillor Glazier moved the adoption of paragraph 2 of the Cabinet’s report. The motion, including the recommendations, was CARRIED after debate.

39.4     The motion to adopt paragraph 1 of the Scrutiny Committee’s report, including the recommendations, was CARRIED after debate on the basis that the implementation would be in accordance with the recommendations of the Cabinet.

Paragraph 1 (Gatwick Airport Limited (GAL) - Gatwick Northern Runway Project (NRP) and the current Development Consent Order (DCO) application

40.1     Councillor Glazier introduced the reserved paragraph in the Leader and Lead Member’s report.

40.2     The paragraph was noted after debate.

a) Oral questions to Cabinet Members

b) Written questions of which notice has been given pursuant to Standing Order 44

41.1     The following members asked questions of the Lead Cabinet Members indicated and they responded:

41.2     Five written questions were received from Councillors Field, Lambert, and Stephen Shing for the Lead Member for Transport and Environment. The questions and answers are attached to these minutes. The Lead Member responded to supplementary questions.