Agenda and minutes

Councillor Belsey (Chairman of the County Council) in the Chair.

1.1       The following motion was moved by Councillor Glazier and SECONDED

–

            ‘To elect Councillor Ensor to serve as Chairman of the County Council for the ensuing year’.

1.2       There being no other nominations, the Chairman put the motion to the vote and declared Councillor Ensor elected as Chairman of the County Council for the ensuing year. Councillor Ensor made a declaration of acceptance of office and took the Chair.

Councillor Ensor in the Chair.

1.2       The Chairman, Leader of the Council and Group Leaders paid tribute to the way in which Councillor Belsey had carried out his duties as Chairman of the County Council over the past two years, acting as an ambassador for the County, hosting and attending a number of engagements and ensuring that the work of the Council was recognised in communities within and outside East Sussex. The Chairman, Leader of the Council and Group Leaders also paid tribute to Mrs Terri Belsey for her role and support as consort. Councillor Belsey responded to the comments made. The Chairman presented Councillor Belsey with the past Chairman’s badge and presented Terri Belsey with a consort’s badge and bouquet of flowers.

1.3       The Chairman thanked the Council for electing him as Chairman.

2.1       The following motion was moved by Councillor Glazier and SECONDED –

            ‘to appoint Councillor Pragnell to serve as Vice Chairman of the County Council for the ensuing year’.

2.2       There being no other nominations, the Chairman put the motion to the vote and declared Councillor Pragnell appointed as Vice Chairman of the County Council for the ensuing year. Councillor Pragnell made a declaration of acceptance of office and took his seat as Vice-Chairman.

3.1       RESOLVED – to confirm the minutes of the meeting of the County Council held on 22 March 2016 as a correct record

4.1       Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Buchanan

ELECTIONS

5.1      On behalf of the Council the Chairman passed on congratulations to those in the Chamber who were elected in the recent Hastings Borough Council elections and welcomed Councillor Rogers to her first County Council meeting

PRAYERS

5.2    The Chairman thanked the Right Reverend, Richard Jackson, Bishop of Lewes for leading the prayers before the meeting

PETITIONS

5.3   The Chairman informed the Council that immediately before the meeting the following petitions had been received from members:

6.1       The following member declared personal interests in items on the agenda as follows:

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

            Cabinet                                                            -           paragraph 1

Economy, Transport and Environment                      -           paragraph 1

Scrutiny Committee

NON-RESERVED PARAGRAPHS

7.2       On the motion of the Chairman of the County Council, the Council ADOPTED those paragraphs in the reports of the Committees that had not been reserved for discussion.

8.1       The Council agreed to receive the Notice of the Returning Officer certifying the election of a County Councillor for the St Helens and Silverhill division at the by-election held on 5 May 2016

9.1       Scott Durairaj  (representative of the petitioners) addressed the County Council prior to the Council debate of the petition. The Council agreed to vary procedure to enable all councillors who indicated that they wished to speak to do so.

9.2       The following motion was moved by Councillor O’Keeffe and seconded:

              In view of the increasing need for Primary School places in and around Lewes in the next five years, the strength of public feeling shown by a petition of over 5,000 signatories and the emerging plans for the future at both Rodmell School and Pells School, the Council recommends to Cabinet that the process towards the closure of these two schools is halted at the end of the consultation to enable these plans to be put into place.

9.3       A recorded vote on the motion was requested and taken. The motion was CARRIED, the votes being cast as follows:

FOR THE MOTION

Councillors Blanch, Butler, Carstairs, Charlton, Charman, Clark, Daniel, Earl, Field, Forward, Howson, Keeley, Lambert, O’Keeffe, Phillips, Pursglove, Rodohan, Rogers, Scott, D. Shing, S Shing, Shuttleworth, St Pierre, Tutt, Ungar, Wallis, Webb and Wincott

AGAINST THE MOTION

Councillors Barnes, Belsey, Bennett, Bentley, Davies, Chris Dowling, Claire Dowling, Elkin, Ensor, Galley, Glazier, Maynard, Pragnell, Sheppard, Simmons, Standley, Stogdon, Taylor, Tidy and Whetstone

The Leader to present to the County Council his written record of delegations of executive functions to Cabinet members including:

(a)       names of the County Councillors appointed to the Cabinet;

(b)       the extent of any authority delegated to cabinet members individually as portfolio holders;

(c)        appointment to the position of Deputy Leader

(d)       the terms of reference and constitution of the Cabinet and any executive committees together with the names of cabinet members appointed to them

            (e)       the nature and extent of any delegation of executive functions to local committees

            (f)        the nature and extent of any delegation to officers

10.1    In accordance with the Constitution, Councillor Glazier presented a written record to the Council of his appointments to the Cabinet, their portfolios and his delegations of executive functions. A copy of the Leader’s report is attached to these minutes.

(a)       Scrutiny Committees:

                                    Adult Social Care and Community Safety

                                    Audit, Best Value and Community Services

                                    Children’s Services

                                    Economy, Transport and Environment

                                    Health Overview and Scrutiny

(b)        Governance Committee

(c)           Regulatory Committee

(d)        Planning Committee

(e)        Standards Committee

(f)         Pension Committee

[Note 1: The committee memberships proposed by the political groups will be circulated to members in advance of the meeting]

[Note 2: In accordance with the statutory provisions, the proposed allocation of places to political groups is set out in the report of the Governance Committee]

11.1    Councillor Bennett moved, and it was seconded, that appointments be made to the Committees and Sub-committees, listed in item 10 of the agenda, in accordance with the list of nominations from political groups which was circulated in the Council Chamber.

11.2    The motion was CARRIED.

(a)       East Sussex Music Service Management Committee (5 members of the County Council)

(b)       County Joint Consultative Committee (5 members of the County Council)

(c)        Governors Panel (7 members of the County Council)

(d)       County Consultative Committee (Governors) (5 members of the County Council)

(e)       Joint Advisory Committee (Schools) (5 members of the County Council)

(f)        Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (5 members of the County Council)

(g)       Corporate Parenting Panel (7 members of the County Council)

[The memberships proposed by the political groups will be circulated to members in advance of the meeting]

12.1    Councillor Bennett moved, and it was seconded, that members be appointed to serve on the Committees and Panels listed in item 11 of the agenda, in accordance with the political balance provisions and the list of nominations from political groups which was circulated in the Council Chamber.

12.2    The motion was CARRIED.

(a)  Transport and Student Support Panel (3 members of the Regulatory Committee)

(b)  Education Performance Panel (the Lead Member for Education and Inclusion, Special Educational Needs and Disability, the Chair of the Children’s Services Scrutiny Committee and a representative of each of the political and independent groups

 [The membership of the Panels, proposed by political groups will be circulated to members in advance of the meeting]

13.1    Councillor Bennett moved, and it was seconded, to agree that the political balance provisions would not apply to the membership of the Transport and Student Support Panel and the Education Performance Panel and that members be appointed to the Panels in accordance with the list of nominations from political groups which was circulated in the Council Chamber.

13.2    The motion was CARRIED (with no member voting against)

Approved Marriage Premises Review Panel

Employment Appeal Panel

Recruitment Panel (Chief Executive, Directors and Deputies)

Commons and Village Green Registration Panel

[The composition of these bodies is set out in the Constitution]

14.1    Councillor Bennett moved and it was seconded, that the bodies listed in agenda item 13 be continued, that the political balance provisions shall not apply to these Panels and that members be appointed by the Chief Executive as the need arises.

14.2    The motion was CARRIED (with no member voting against).

(a)       Chair of the Regulatory Committee

            (b)       Chairs and Vice-Chairs of the Scrutiny Committees

(c)        Chair of the Governance Committee

(d)       Chair and Vice-Chair of the Planning Committee

(e)       Chair of the Pension Committee

(f)        Chair of the Standards Committee

15.1    The following motion, moved by Councillor Bennett and seconded, was CARRIED:

‘To appoint the following members to positions listed below’:

16.1 A copy of a question asked by Rita Ellis from Lewes and the answer from Councillor Elkin (Lead Member for Resources)are attached to these minutes. A supplementary question was asked and responded to.

17.1    Councillor Glazier outlined the Cabinet’s priorities for the forthcoming year.  The other Group Leaders commented on these, following which there was a debate

Cabinet Report – Reserved Paragraph

18.1   The Chairman reminded the Council that he was taking paragraph 1 of the Cabinet report with the report of the Economy, Transport and Environment Scrutiny Committee.

SCRUTINY REVIEW OF HIGHWAY DRAINAGE

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

18.2     Councillor Stogdon moved the adoption of paragraph 1 of the Scrutiny Committee report.

18.3     Councillor Glazier moved the adoption of paragraph 1 of the Cabinet’s report. The motion, including the recommendations, was CARRIED after debate.

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

(a)  Oral questions to Cabinet Members

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

ORAL QUESTIONS TO CABINET MEMBERS

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

WRITTEN QUESTIONS PURSUANT TO STANDING ORDER 44

19.2    Five written questions were received from Councillors Daniel, Scott, S Shing, Field and D. Shing for the Lead Member for Adult Social Care, the Lead Member for Transport and Environment and the Lead Member for Education and Inclusion, Special Educational Needs and Disability. The questions and answers are attached to these minutes.

19.3    The Lead Members responded to supplementary questions.