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Agenda and minutes

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51.

Minutes of the meeting held on 3 December 2019 pdf icon PDF 449 KB

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Minutes:

51.1     RESOLVED – to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the County Council meeting held on 3 December 2019 as a correct record.

52.

Apologies for absence

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Minutes:

52.1     Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillor Phil Boorman.

53.

Chairman's business

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Minutes:

DAVID AMIES

 

52.1     The Chairman referred to the death in January of a former colleague, David Amies who had represented the Battle division from 1981 to 1989. On behalf of the Council the Chairman offered his condolences to David’s family and friends. The Council stood in silence as a mark of respect to David Amies.

NEW YEAR’S HONOURS

52.2     On behalf of the Council, the Chairman congratulated all those who lived or worked in East Sussex who were recognised in the New Year’s honours.

CHAIRMAN’S ANNOUCEMENTS

52.3     The Chairman reported that he and the Vice-Chairman had attended a number of events since the last Council including the Wealden Works annual awards event to celebrate young people’s achievements, the opening of the Grove Theatre, Eastbourne, the Bangladesh Victory Day and Human Rights Day at Eastbourne Town Hall, a Holocaust memorial event in Eastbourne, the national apprenticeship week event in Lewes and a number of carol services.

CHINESE NEW YEAR

52.4     The Chairman reported that the Chinese New Year had begun on 25 January and wished all a happy Chinese New Year.

 

PRAYERS

52.5     The Chairman thanked Reverend Steve Daughtery for leading the prayers before the meeting.

 

PETITIONS

 

52.6     The following petitions were presented by members immediately before the meeting:

 

Councillor Daniel Shing                                                                                            

- calling on the County Council to rebuild damaged areas and repair potholes in St John Road, Polegate 

 

Councillors Stephen Shing                                                                                            

- calling on the County Council to reinstate £5m funding for walking and cycling strategies

 

Councillor Stephen Shing

 

- calling on the County Council to resurface Coopers Hill, Willingdon 

 

Councillor John Ungar (on behalf of Councillor Rodohan)

- calling on the County Council to introduce parking restrictions and residents’ permits for streets around Hartfield Square and Upperton Gardens area, Eastbourne

 

 

 

54.

Questions from members of the public pdf icon PDF 202 KB

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Minutes:

54.1     Copies of questions from Gabriel Carlyle from St Leonards on Sea and Andrea Needham from Hastings and the answers from Councillor Fox (Chair of the Pension Committee) are attached to these minutes.

55.

Declarations of Interest

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Minutes:

55.1     There were no declarations of interest

 

56.

Reports

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Minutes:

56.1     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 (Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources) and paragraph 3 (Annual Report for Looked After Children’s Services)

 

NON-RESERVED PARAGRAPHS

 

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

Cabinet report – paragraph 2 (Council monitoring), paragraph 4 (Treasury Management Policy and Strategy) and paragraph 5 (Conservators of Ashdown Forest budget)

Governance Committee report paragraph 1 – Procurement and Contract Standing Orders), paragraph 2 (Constitutional changes arising from the withdrawal from the European Union), paragraph (officer employment rules) and 4 (Pension Board – change to quorum)

57.

Report of the Cabinet pdf icon PDF 339 KB

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Minutes:

Paragraph 1 – Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources

 

57.1 Under Standing Order 23, the Council agreed that the speeches of the Leaders of the five groups (or their nominees) on paragraph 1 of the Cabinet’s report be extended beyond five minutes.

 

57.2 Councillor Bennett moved the adoption of paragraph 1 of the Cabinet’s report.

57.3 The following amendment was moved by Councillor Webb and seconded:

 

Delete paragraph 1.41 of the Cabinet’s report and replace with:-

 

            (1)  approve, in principle, the draft Council Plan at Appendix 1 and authorise the Chief Executive to finalise the Plan in consultation with the relevant Lead Members;

 

           (2)  approve the net Revenue Budget estimates totalling £403.4m for 2020/21 as set out in Appendices 2 (Medium Term Financial Plan) and 3 (Budget Summary) and authorise the Chief Operating Officer, in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer, Leader and Deputy Leader, to make adjustments to the presentation of the budget to reflect the final settlement and budget decisions subject to the following amendments:

 

1.    Reverse the proposed saving for I-SEND EHCP Assessment Services for one year £188,000

 

Total of proposed revenue amendments - £188,000

 

To be funded by:

 

2.    A draw from Financing Reserve - £188,000

 

Total of proposed revenue funding amendments - £188,000

 

            (3)  in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992 to agree that:

 

(i)           the net budget requirement is £403.4m and the amount calculated by East Sussex County Council  as its council tax requirement (see Appendix 6) for the year 2020/21 is £300.9m;

 

(ii)           the amount calculated by East Sussex County Council as the basic amount of its council tax (i.e. for a band D property) for the year 2020/21 is £1,492.02 and represents a 3.99% (2% of which relates to the Adult Social Care precept) increase on the previous year;

 

(4)  advise the District and Borough Councils of the relevant amounts payable and council tax in other bands in line with the regulations and to issue precepts accordingly in accordance with an agreed schedule of instalments as set out at Appendix 6;

 

(5) note the fees and charges set out in Appendix 10 that have been increased above inflation;

 

(6)  approve the Capital Strategy and Programme as set out at Appendix 9;

 

(7)  note the Medium Term Financial Plan forecast for the period 2020/21 to 2022/23 as set out in Appendix 2 and amended by the proposals in paragraph (2) above;

 

(8)  note the comments of the Chief Finance Officer on budget risks and robustness as set out in Appendix 7; and

 

(9)  note the comments from the engagement exercises as set out in Appendix 8.

 

57.4 A recorded vote on Councillor Webb’s amendment was taken. The amendment was LOST, the votes being cast as follows:

 

FOR THE AMENDMENT

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

 

AGAINST THE AMENDMENT

Councillors Barnes, Beaver, Belsey, Bennett, Bentley, Bowdler, Charles Clark, Martin Clarke, Davies, Chris  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57.

58.

Questions from County Councillors pdf icon PDF 71 KB

(a)  Oral questions to Cabinet Members

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

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

nf58.1  The following members asked questions of the Lead Cabinet Members indicated and they responded:

Questioner

Respondent

Subject

 

Councillor Osborne

Councillor Maynard

Role of the Sussex Resilience Forum regarding plans to deal with coronavirus and briefings for councillors in relation to the coronavirus  

 

Councillor Field

Councillor Simmons

Possible opportunities for improvements to the rail network in East Sussex in light of the HS2 funding announcement

 

Councillor Shuttleworth

Councillor Claire Dowling

Timescale for the publication of the Cycling and Walking Strategy  

 

Councillor Scott

Councillor Bennett

Timing of the passporting  Disabilities Facilities Grant to borough and district councils    

 

Councillor Godfrey Daniel

Councillor Claire Dowling

Policy regarding the repair of potholes

   

Councillor Whetstone

Councillor Bennett

Centrally held budgets

Councillor Stephen Shing

Councillor Claire Dowling

Spend on pothole/road surface repairs and compensation paid for injury and damage caused by potholes/road surface issues

 

Councillor Charman

Councillor Claire Dowling

 Funding available from the government for  the installation of vehicle charging points and the funds drawn down by the County Council

 

Councillor Daniel Shing

Councillor Glazier

Comparative performance of the County Council

 

Councillor Whetstone

Councillor Claire Dowling

Production of electric cars

 

Councillor Stephen Shing

 

Councillor Claire Dowling

 

 

Work undertaken by utility companies on the highway

WRITTEN QUESTIONS PURSUANT TO STANDING ORDER 44

 

58.2     Two written questions were received from Councillors Davies and Field for the Lead Member for Economy and  the Lead Member for Transport and Environment. The questions and answers are attached to these minutes. The

Lead Members responded to supplementary questions.