Agenda and minutes

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

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

‘To elect Councillor Pragnell 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 Pragnell elected as Chairman of the County Council for the ensuing year. Councillor Pragnell made a declaration of acceptance of office and took the Chair.

Councillor Pragnell in the Chair.

1.3 The Chairman, Leader of the Council and Group Leaders paid tribute to the way in which Councillor Ensor 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 Sue Ensor for her role and support as consort. Councillor Ensor responded to the comments made. The Chairman presented Councillor Ensor with the past Chairman’s badge and presented Sue Ensor with a consort’s badge and bouquet of flowers.

1.4 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 Sheppard 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 Sheppard appointed as Vice Chairman of the County Council for the ensuing year. Councillor Sheppard made a declaration of acceptance of office and took his seat as Vice-Chairman.

3.1       RESOLVED – to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the County Council held on 27 March 2018 as a correct record.

4.1       Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Daniel Shing.

ELECTIONS

5.1       On behalf of the Council the Chairman passed on congratulations to those in the Chamber who were elected n the recent Hastings Borough Council elections.

WENDY MEREDITH

5.2       On behalf of the Council the Chairman welcomed Wendy Meredith, the interim Director of Public Health to her first Council meeting.

PRAYERS

5.3       The Chairman thanked Councillor Ensor for leading the prayers before the meeting.

PETITIONS

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

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

7.1       Stephen Lloyd (representative of the petitioners) addressed the County Council prior to the debate. The Council agreed to vary procedure to enable all councillors who wished to speak to do so.

7.2       The following motion was moved by Councillor Maynard and seconded:

The County Council welcomes all views. The petition will be taken fully into account when Cabinet considers the outcome of the consultations and impact assessments on all the services affected on 26 June. This will ensure a fair and transparent approach to the difficult choices faced by the County Council

7.3       The following amendment was moved by Councillor Tutt and seconded:

 The County Council welcomes all views. The petition will be taken fully into account when Cabinet considers the outcome of the consultations and impact assessments on all the services affected on 26 June. This will ensure a fair and transparent approach to the difficult choices faced by the County Council. (insert) [The County Council requests the Cabinet to keep the homes open]

7.4       A recorded vote on Councillor Tutt’s amendment was requested and taken. The amendment was LOST, the votes being cast as follows:

FOR THE AMENDMENT

Councillors Charman, Charles Clark, Godfrey Daniel, Philip Daniel, Earl, Field, Grover, Lambert, O’Keeffe, Osborne, Rodohan, Scott, Stephen Shing, Shuttleworth, Swansborough, Tutt, Ungar, Wallis and Webb

AGAINST THE AMENDMENT

Barnes, Beaver, Belsey, Bennett, Bentley, Boorman, Bowdler, Martin Clarke, Davies, Chris Dowling, Claire Dowling, Elford, Elkin, Enever, Ensor, Fox, Galley, Glazier, Liddiard, Loe, Maynard, Pragnell, Sheppard, Simmons, Smith, Standley, Stogdon, Taylor, Tidy, and Whetstone.

ABSTENTIONS

None

7.5       A recorded vote was requested on the motion moved by Councillor Maynard as follows:

The County Council welcomes all views. The petition will be taken fully into account when Cabinet considers the outcome of the consultations and impact assessments on all the services affected on 26 June. This will ensure a fair and transparent approach to the difficult choices faced by the County Council

The motion was CARRIED with the votes being cast as follows:

FOR THE MOTION

Barnes, Beaver, Belsey, Bennett, Bentley, Boorman, Bowdler, Martin Clarke, Philip Daniel, Davies, Chris Dowling, Claire Dowling, Elford, Elkin, Enever, Ensor, Field, Fox, Galley, Glazier, Grover, Lambert, Liddiard, Loe, Maynard, Osborne, Pragnell, Rodohan, Sheppard, Stephen Shing, Shuttleworth, Simmons, Smith, Standley, Stogdon, Swansborough, Taylor, Tidy, Tutt, Ungar, Wallis and Whetstone.

AGAINST THE MOTION

None

ABSTENTIONS

Councillors Charman, Charles Clark, Godfrey Daniel, Earl, O’Keeffe, Scott and Webb

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

Report of the Leader                                -      item 7

NON-RESERVED PARAGRAPHS

8.2       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 as follows:

Governance Committee report paragraph 1 – Appointments to committees, panels and other bodies

Governance Committee report paragraph 2- Data protection Officer designation

Standards Committee report paragraph 1 – Annual report.

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

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 delegation of executive functions. A copy of the Leader’s report is attached to these minutes.

(a)      Scrutiny Committees

Health Overview and Scrutiny

            People

Place

(b)      Audit Committee               

(c)      Governance Committee

(d)      Regulatory Committee

(e)      Planning Committee

(f)       Standards Committee

(g)       Pension Committee

(Note 1: The proposed nominations from political and independent groups  will be tabled at the meeting)

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

10.1     Councillor Bennett moved, and it was seconded, that appointments be made to the Committees and Sub-committees, listed in item 9 of the agenda, in accordance with the list of nominations from political groups which was circulated in the Council Chamber.

10.2     The motion was CARRIED.

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

(b)  County Consultative Committee (Governors) (5 members of the County

 Council)

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

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

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

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

11.1     Councillor Bennett moved, and it was seconded, that members be appointed to serve on the Committees and Panels listed in item 10 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.

11.2 The motion was CARRIED.

Approved Marriage Premises Review 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]

12.1     Councillor Bennett moved and it was seconded, that the bodies listed in agenda item 11 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.

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

[The membership of the Panel, proposed by the political groups will be tabled at the meeting]

13.1     Councillor Bennett moved, and it was seconded, that the political balance provisions would not apply to the membership of the Discretionary Transport Appeal Panel and that members be appointed to the Panel 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)

(a)       Chair of the Regulatory Committee

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

(c)       Chair and Vice Chair of the Audit Committee

(d)       Chair of the Governance Committee

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

(f)        Chair of the Pension Committee

(g)       Chair of the Standards Committee

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

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

15.1     Copies of the questions asked by Patricia Patterson-Vanegas from Forest Row, Fran Witt from Lewes, Gabriel Carlyle from St Leonards on Sea, Marie White from the Stroke Association, Roger Ross from Rodmell, Carol Boydell from the Stroke Association, Hahar Choudhury from Southdown, Lewes, Barry Horsnell from Bexhill, Andrew Price from Newhaven, James Hamilton-Andrews from Wealden, Marcus Maclaine from East Hoathly, Hugh Dunkerley from Brighton, Ariane Hadjilias from Lewes and Arnold Simanowitz from Lewes and the answers from Councillor Stogdon (Chair of the Pension Committee) and Councillor Maynard (Lead Member for Adult Social Care and Health) are attached to these minutes. Supplementary questions were asked and responded to.

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.

(a)  Oral questions to Cabinet Members

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

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

WRITTEN QUESTIONS PURSUANT TO STANDING ORDER 44

17.2     Thirteen written questions were received from Councillors Enever, Lambert (2), Stephen Shing (2), Shuttleworth (5) and Ungar (3) for the Lead Member for Adult Social Care and Health (2), the Lead Member for Education and Inclusion, Special Educational Needs and Disability (7), the Lead Member for Strategic Management and Economic Development and the Lead Member for Transport and Environment (3). The questions and answers are attached to these minutes.

17.3     The Lead Members responded to supplementary questions

The Chairman has directed under Standing Order 36.9 that the following Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor Osborne shall stand referred to the County Council:

To reflect ESCC’s commitment to inclusion and gender equality it shall use the term Chair and Vice-Chair of the Council when referring to the Chairman or Vice Chairman.

18.1     The following motion was moved by Councillor Osborne and seconded:

To reflect ESCC’s commitment to inclusion and gender equality it shall use the

term Chair and Vice-Chair of the Council when referring to the Chairman or Vice Chairman.

18.2     The following amendment was moved by Councillor Davies and seconded:

To reflect ESCC’s commitment to inclusion and gender equality (delete) [it shall use the term Chair and Vice-Chair of the Council when referring to the Chairman or Vice Chairman.] (insert) [the Council agrees to modify its Constitution so that the incumbent Chairman and Vice Chairman of the County Council will determine the terms by which they wish to be addressed for their term of office].

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

FOR THE AMENDMENT

Councillors Barnes, Beaver, Belsey, Bennett, Bentley, Boorman, Bowdler, Charles Clark, Martin Clarke, Davies, Chris Dowling, Claire Dowling, Earl,  Elford, Elkin, Enever, Ensor, Fox, Galley, Glazier, Liddiard, Loe, Maynard, Pragnell, Sheppard, Simmons, Smith, Standley, Stogdon, Taylor, Tidy, and Whetstone.

AGAINST THE AMENDMENT

Councillors Philip Daniel, Field, Grover, Osborne, Shuttleworth, Swansborough, Tutt, Ungar and Webb

ABSTENTIONS

Councillor Stephen Shing

18.4     The following motion was moved by Councillor Davies and CARRIED:

   To reflect ESCC’s commitment to inclusion and gender equality the Council agrees to modify its Constitution so that the incumbent Chairman and Vice Chairman of the County Council will determine the terms by which they wish to be addressed for their term of office.