Agenda and minutes

46.1     RESOLVED – to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the County Council meeting held on 4 December as a correct record

47.1 Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bill Bentley, Tania Charman, Darren Grover and Jim Sheppard.

WELCOME

48.1     The Chairman welcomed Councillor Earl Williams to her first County Council meeting.

NEW YEAR’S HONOURS

48.2     On behalf of the Council, the Chairman congratulated all those who live or work in East Sussex who were recognised in the New Year’s Honours.

CHAIRMAN’S ACTIVITIES

48.3      I have attended a number of engagements since the last County Council meeting including: holocaust memorial events at Eastbourne, Hastings and Lewes, the Christmas Pontifical Sung Vespers at Arundel  Cathedral, the Christian Police Association Carol Service, an event celebrating Bangladeshi history and a National Literacy Trust event.

48.4     The Vice Chairman has also attended a number of events.

  CHINESE NEW YEAR

48.5     The Chairman reported that the Chinese New Year began today and wished

all a happy Chinese New Year.

PRAYERS

48.6     The Chairman thanked  Paul Mann, Leader and Pastor at King’s Church, Hastings for leading the prayers before the meeting

PETITIONS

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

49.1     Copies of questions asked by Bob Downing from Seaford, Alice Burchfield from Peacehaven, Patricia Petterson-Vanegas from Forest Row, Ohana Banerjee from Lewes, Emily O’Brien from Newhaven, Zoe Gallagher from Lewes, Philip Rowland from Lewes, John Edson from Bishopstone, Lulah Ellender from Lewes, Arnold Simanowitz from Lewes, Julia Bell from Kingston and Antonia Jewels from Lewes and the answers from Councillor Simmons (Lead Member for Economy), Councillor Standley (Lead Member for Education and Inclusion, Special Educational Needs and Disability), Councillor Stogdon (Chair of the Pension Committee) and Councillor Elkin (Lead Member for Resources) are attached to these minutes. Supplementary questions were asked and responded to.

50.1     There were no declarations of interest.

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

Cabinet report – paragraphs 1 (Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources),  3 (annual progress report for looked after children’s services) and 6 (Scrutiny review of schools coping with change)

People Scrutiny Committee report – paragraph 1 (Scrutiny review of schools coping with change)

NON-RESERVED PARAGRAPHS

51.2 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:

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

52.1     The Council agreed to receive the Notice of the Returning Officer certifying the election of a County Councillor for the Bexhill West division at the by-election held on 10 January 2019

Paragraph 1 – Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources

53.1     Under Standing Order 2, 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.

53.2     Councillor Elkin moved the adoption of paragraph 1 of the Cabinet’s report.

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

Delete paragraph 1.50 of the Cabinet’s report and replace with:-

(1)  approve, in principle, the draft Council Plan at Appendix 4 and authorise the Chief Executive to finalise the Plan in consultation with the relevant Lead Members;

(2)  approve the net Revenue Budget estimates totalling £375m for 2019/20 as set out in Appendices 1 (Medium Term Financial Plan) and 2 (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 Summary to reflect the final settlement and budget decisions subject to the following amendments for 2019/20 only:

1.    Reverse the proposed saving for SLES high standards of £0.124m

2.    Reverse the proposed saving for SLES performance £0.725m

3.    Reverse the proposed saving for Home to School Transport of £0.042m

4.    Reverse the proposed saving for working age adults of £0.247m

To be funded by the following:-

5.    Reduce contributions to reserves by £1.138m

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

(i)           the net budget requirement is £375m and the amount calculated by East Sussex County Council  as its council tax requirement (see Appendix 5) for the year 2019/20 is £287.7m;

(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 2019/20 is £1,434.78 and represents a 2.99% 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 5

(5) note the fees and charges set out in Appendix 6 that have been increased above inflation;

(6)  approve the Capital Strategy and Programme for 2018 – 2023 as set out at Appendix 7;

(7)  note the Medium Term Financial Plan forecast for the period 2019/20 to 2021/22 as set out in Appendix 1;

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

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

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

FOR THE AMENDMENT

Councillors Godfrey Daniel, Scott, Daniel Shing, Stephen Shing and Webb

AGAINST THE AMENDMENT

Councillors Barnes, Beaver, Belsey, Bennett, Boorman, Bowdler, Charles Clark, Martin Clarke, Davies, Chris Dowling, Claire Dowling, Earl-Williams, Elford, Elkin, Enever, Ensor,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53.

SCRUTINY REVIEW OF SCHOOLS COPING WITH CHANGE

54.1 The Chairman reminded the Council that he was taking paragraph 1 of this report with paragraph 6 of the Cabinet’s report

54.2 Councillor Davies moved the adoption of paragraph 1 of the Scrutiny Committee

report.

54.3 Councillor Glazier moved the adoption of paragraph 6 of the Cabinet’s report.

The motion, including the recommendations, was CARRIED after debate.

54.4 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

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

WRITTEN QUESTIONS PURSUANT TO STANDING ORDER 44

55.2     There were no written questions from councillors.