Agenda and minutes

20.1     RESOLVED to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the County Council meeting held on 7 July 2020.

21.1     An apology for absence was received on behalf of Councillor Deirdre Earl-Williams.

AUBREY VICKERS

22.1     The Chairman and other members paid tribute to Aubrey Vickers following his death in August. Aubrey had represented the Eastbourne Meads Division from 1974 to 2001. On behalf of the Council, the Chairman offered condolences to Aubrey’s family and friends.

22.2     The Council remained silent as a mark of respect for their former colleague Aubrey Vickers.

QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS

22.3     On behalf of the Council, the Chairman congratulated all those who lived or worked in East Sussex who were recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours including Julie King from the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service who had been awarded the Queen’s Fire Service Medal

23.1     Copies of the questions received from members of the public and the answers from Councillor Fox (Chair of the Pension Committee), Councillor Bennett (Lead Member for Resources) and Councillor Claire Dowling (Lead Member for Transport and Environment) are attached to these minutes.

24.1     The following members declared personal interests in items on the agenda as follows:

25.1     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 quarter 1) and paragraph 2 (Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources)

Governance Committee report – paragraph 1 (Notice of Motion – virtual meetings)

Lead Member for Adult Social Care and Health – paragraph 1 (Notice of Motion – Unison Ethical Care Charter)

NON-RESERVED PARAGRAPHS

25.2     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:

Governance Committee report – paragraph 2 (Coronavirus Temporary Arrangements)

Paragraph 1 (Council monitoring quarter 1) and Paragraph 2 (Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources)

26.1     Councillor Glazier moved the reserved paragraphs of the Cabinet’s report.

26.2     The motions were CARRIED after debate.

Paragraph 1 (Notice of motion – virtual meetings)

27.1     Councillor Glazier introduced the paragraph.

27.2     The Chairman stated that as the recommendation of the Governance Committee was to reject the motion rather than proposing an amendment the Council would vote on the motion as set out in paragraph 1 of the report as follows:

Since lockdown remote working has been shown to be a very effective way for the Council to conduct its business. Without specific permission from the Government to continue in this way we shall have to revert to face to face meetings after the next County Council elections. 

This Council resolves to ask Central Government to change the rules to enable Local Authorities to make their own decisions as to whether to hold virtual and/or physical meetings from May 2021.

27.3     The motion was CARRIED after debate:

Paragraph 1 (Notice of Motion – Unison Ethical Care Charter)

28.1     Councillor Maynard moved the reserved paragraph of the Lead Member’s report.

28.2 The Chairman stated that as the recommendation of the Lead Member for Adult Social Care and Health was to reject the motion rather than proposing an amendment the Council would vote on the original motion as proposed by Councillor Webb and seconded by Councillor Scott as follows:

That East Sussex County Council should sign up to the UNISON Ethical Care Charter as soon as possible.

28.3     The following motion moved by Councillor Webb and seconded was LOST:

To adjourn the debate of the motion to a future meeting of the Council.

28.4     The following motion was LOST:

That East Sussex County Council should sign up to the UNISON Ethical Care Charter as soon as possible.

(a)  Oral questions to Cabinet Members

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

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

29.2     Two written questions were received from Councillor O’Keeffe for the Chair of the Pension Committee. The questions and answers are attached to these minutes. The Chair of the Committee responded to a supplementary question on question 2.