1. Home
  2. Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, County Hall, Lewes

Contact: Andy Cottell  01273 481935

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

To elect a Chairman of the County Council

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Philip Baker Assistant Chief Executive) 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 Assistant Chief Executive 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

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

 

2.

To appoint a Vice Chairman of the County Council

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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. The Chairman reported that Councillor Pragnell had been unwell and was unable to attend the meeting but would sign his declaration of acceptance of office, witnessed by the Chief Executive, when he was next at County Hall.

 

3.

Minutes of the meeting held on 21 March 2017 pdf icon PDF 222 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

3.1       RESOLVED – to confirm the minutes of the meeting of the County Council held on 21 March 2017 as a correct record

4.

Apologies for absence

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Pragnell

5.

To receive notice of the Returning Officer certifying the election of County Councillors for the various electoral divisions pdf icon PDF 100 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

5.1       The Council agreed to receive the Notice of the Returning Officer certifying the election, on 4 May 2017, of County Councillors for the various electoral divisions in East Sussex.

 

6.

Chairman's business

Additional documents:

Minutes:

WELCOME

6.1       The Chairman congratulated and welcomed all members to the first meeting of the County Council following the elections.  

CHAIRMAN’S BUSINESS

6.2     The Chairman reported that he had attended a number of engagements since the last meeting including: the Conquest MRI scanner appeal reception, the Unsung heroes celebration, the Wayfinder Women’s Conference, a show by the East Sussex School of Performing Arts and was present at the Royal visit to St Mary’s school. He has attended a number of Mayor making ceremonies including: Winchelsea, Rye, Telscombe, Bexhill and Lewes, had attended the Mayor of Newhaven’s Charity dinner, the High Sheriff’s summer reception, a service at Chichester Cathedral to mark the 50th anniversary of the modern Hospice movement and had hosted a tea for Ashdown Forest staff and volunteers. The Vice Chairman has also attended a number of events.

PRAYERS

6.3          The Chairman thanked the Reverend Steve Daughtery for leading the prayers this morning.

PETITIONS

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

Councillor Enever

- calling on the County Council to address congestion on the A259 South Coast .

 

Councillor O’Keeffe

 

-  calling on the County Council to divest the East Sussex Pension Fund from investment in fossil fuels

 

 

Councillor Stephen Shing

-  calling on the County Council to progress its traffic calming proposal in Alfriston beyond the design stage and instead to work with local residents on proposals presented at the exhibition weekend in April

 

 

T

 

7.

To appoint the Leader of the Council (and Chair of the Cabinet)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

7.1       The following motion was moved by Councillor Tidy and SECONDED –

 

     to nominate Councillor Glazier as Leader of the Council (and Chair of the Cabinet) for a four year period up to the post election annual meeting.’

 

7.2       There being no other nominations, the Chairman put the motion to the vote and declared Councillor Glazier elected as Leader of the Council (and Chair of the Cabinet) for a four year period up to the post election annual meeting.

 

8.

The Cabinet pdf icon PDF 152 KB

The Leader to present to the County Council their 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

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

8.1       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.

9.

Reports

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

Governance Committee                                 -           paragraphs 1 and 2

 

NON-RESERVED PARAGRAPHS

 

9.2       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.

 

 

10.

Report of the Governance Committee pdf icon PDF 107 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

10.1 Councillor Glazier moved the reserved paragraphs of the report.

 

10.2  The motions were CARRIED after debate

11.

To allocate places on the following committees to political groups in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and to appoint members to those committees in line with the allocations pdf icon PDF 149 KB

(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]

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

12.

In the light of the decisions of the Council on the allocation of places to political groups to appoint members to other Committees and Panels as set out below

(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]

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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.

 

13.

To confirm the continuation of the following bodies that have a fixed membership or to which members are appointed by the Chief Executive as the need arises and to agree (with no member voting against) that the political balance provisions shall not apply to the Panels

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]

 

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

13.1    Councillor Bennett moved and it was seconded, that the bodies listed in agenda item 12 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.

 

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

 

 

14.

To agree (with no member voting against) that the political balance provisions shall not apply to the membership of the Transport and Student Support Panel and the Education Performance Panel and to appoint members to serve for the ensuing year

(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]

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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)

 

 

15.

To appoint:

(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

 

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

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

 

Committee

 

Chair

Vice-Chair

Regulatory

 

Stogdon

 

Adult Social Care and Community Safety Scrutiny Committee

 

Davies

Webb

Audit, Best Value and Community Services Scrutiny Committee

 

Swansborough

Barnes

Children’s Services Scrutiny Committee

 

Galley

Shuttleworth

Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee

 

Belsey

O’Keeffe

Economy, Transport and Environment Scrutiny Committee

 

Stogdon

Claire Dowling

Governance Committee

 

Glazier

 

Planning Committee

 

Claire Dowling

Taylor

Pension Committee

 

Stogdon

 

Standards Committee

Stogdon

 

 

16.

Questions from members of the public pdf icon PDF 277 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

15.1    Copies of questions asked by Gabriel Carlyle from St Leonards on Sea,  Andrea Needham from Hastings and Vivian Carrick from Peacehaven and the answers from Councillor Stogdon (Chair of the Pension Committee) and Councillor Bennett (Lead member for Transport and Environment) are attached to these minutes. Supplementary questions were asked and responded to.

17.

Cabinet' priorities for the forthcoming year

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

18.

Questions from County Councillors pdf icon PDF 6 KB

(a)  Oral questions to Cabinet Members

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

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

ORAL QUESTIONS TO CABINET MEMBERS

 

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

 

Questioner

Respondent

Subject

 

Councillor Field

Councillor Bennett

Coordination of roadworks commissioned by Highways England and the County Council. 

 

Councillor Ungar

Councillor Maynard

The recruitment, training and retention of care workers in the independent sector

 

Councillor Wallis

 

Councillor Bennett

Turnover of Highway Stewards

 

Councillor Godfrey Daniel

Councillor Bennett

The lack of schemes in Hastings in the footway programme of works for 2017/18   

 

Councillor Stephen Shing

Councillor Bennett

Policy in relation to repair of potholes 

 

Councillor Scott

 

Councillor Bennett

 

Cost and number of claims arising from damage to vehicles resulting  from potholes on the highway

 

 

 

 

 

WRITTEN QUESTIONS PURSUANT TO STANDING ORDER 44

 

18.2    One written question was received from Councillor Whetstone for the Lead Member for Transport and Environment. The question and answer are attached to these minutes.