Agenda and minutes

16.1     RESOLVED – to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the County Council held on 25 May 2021 as a correct record.

17.1     Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Penny di Cra, Roy Galley and Phil Scott.

DAVID ELKIN

18.1     The Chairman welcomed David Elkin back to the Chamber and paid tribute to his work while he had been Chairman of the County Council. The Chairman stated that David had chaired  meetings in a professional manner particularly during his last year as Chairman when Council meetings had been held virtually. As a result, business has been properly and effectively handled. The Chairman acknowledged the role that David undertook as an ambassador for the County Council, hosting and attending a number of engagements, ensuring that the work of the Council was recognised in communities within and outside East Sussex. The Chairman also thanked David for his support for young people which was highlighted by his support and promotion of Project Rudolph each year.

18.2     The Leader of the Council, Group Leaders and other councillors paid tribute to the way in which David Elkin had carried out his duties as a councillor since 2005 and as Chairman of the County Council over the past two years. The Chairman, Leader of the Council and Group Leaders also paid tribute to Sandra Elkin for her role and support as consort. David Elkin responded to the comments made. The Chairman presented David Elkin with the past Chairman’s badge and presented Sandra Elkin with a consort’s badge and a bouquet of flowers.

STUART GALLIMORE

18.3 The Chairman reminded the Council that Stuart Gallimore was retiring at the end of the month.  Stuart first joined the Council in 2000 as Head of Safeguarding before leaving to take a up the position of Assistant Director of Children’s Services at Portsmouth City Council. He then was appointed as the Deputy Director and subsequently Director of Children’s Services at West Sussex County Council. He returned to East Sussex as Director in April 2014. He has had a great impact on the lives of children in this County and in working to ensure that we provide the best service possible. He is passionate about the services provided and he will be greatly missed. The Leader of the Council, Group Leaders and other councillors also paid tribute to Stuart.  On behalf of the Council the Chairman wished Stuart all the very best for the future.

LORD LIEUTENANT

18.4     The current Lord Lieutenant will be retiring next month. Sir Peter Field was appointed Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex in 2008 and has been a wonderful ambassador for the County. On behalf of the County Council I wish Peter a long and happy retirement.

CHAIRMAN’S ACTIVITIES

18.5     The Chairman reported that he had attended a number of events

since the last Council including being the guest of the Family Support Team at the South of England Show, attending the Eastbourne Access Group open day in Eastbourne town centre and hosting a summer reception.

PETITIONS

18.6     The following petitions were presented before the meeting by members::

DEclara19.1    Copies of questions from members of the public and the he answers from

Councillor Fox (Chair of the Pension Committee), Councillor Bennett (Lead Member for Resources and Climate Change) and Councillor Standley (Lead Member for Education and Inclusion, Special Educational Needs and Disability) are attached to these minutes. Supplementary questions were asked and responded to.

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

21.1     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) and paragraph 2 (reconciling policy, performance and resources – state of the County)

Governance Committee report – paragraph 1 (Coronavirus temporary arrangements) and paragraph 3 (Notice of Motion – webcasting of scrutiny committee meetings)

Lead Member for Transport and Environment report – paragraph 1 (Notice of Motion – 20 mph speed limits)

Lead Member for Resources and Climate Change report – paragraph 1 (Notice of Motion – climate change)

NON-RESERVED PARAGRAPHS

21.2     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 (amendment to the Constitution – East Sussex Channel Panel)

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

Paragraph 1 (Council monitoring) and Paragraph 2 (Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources – State of the County)

23.1     Councillor Glazier nominated Councillor Bennet to introduce the reserved paragraphs of the Cabinet’s report.

23.2     The Council agreed to note the paragraphs after debate.

Paragraph 1 (Coronavirus temporary arrangements) and Paragraph 3 (Notice of Motion – webcasting of scrutiny committee meetings)

24.1     Councillor Glazier moved the adoption of the reserved paragraphs.

24.2     The motions were CARRIED after debate.

Paragraph 1 (Notice of Motion – 20 mph Speed limits)

25.1     The Chairman stated that as the recommendation of the Lead Member for Transport and Environment was to reject the motion rather than proposing an amendment the Council would vote on the original motion as proposed by Councillor Osborne and seconded by Councillor Field as set out in paragraph 1.1 of the report.

25.2     Councillor Claire Dowling introduced paragraph 1 of the report.

25.3     The following amendment was moved by Councillor Georgia Taylor and seconded:

East Sussex County Council agrees to request the Cabinet to set an authority-wide default 20mph speed limit for urban and village roads (insert) [and a costed plan for implementation, that would enable immediate action as and when funds or opportunities to apply for funds become available]. This does not mean ‘every road’, but that 20mph speed limits should be the norm and higher limits should be exceptions only where there is evidence that such a higher limit will be safe for pedestrians and cyclists. This is as recommended by the World Health Organisation and was recently committed to by UK government in the 2020 Stockholm Declaration signed by the UK and 129 other global road safety ministers.

25.4     Councillors Osborne and Field confirmed that they were willing to accept the amendment to the motion.

25.5     The Council gave its consent to the alteration of the motion.

25.6     A recorded vote on the amended motion was requested and taken. The Motion was LOST, the votes being cast as follows:

FOR THE MOTION

Councillors Collier, Denis, Field, Hilton, Holt, Lambert, MacCleary, Maples, Robinson, Shuttleworth, Swansborough, Georgia Taylor, Tutt, Ungar and Webb.

AGAINST THE MOTION

Councillors Adeniji, Azad, Beaver, Belsey, Bennett, Bowdler, Clark, Daniel, Chris Dowling, Claire Dowling, Fox, Geary, Glazier, Hay, Hollidge, Howell, Kirby-Green, Liddiard, Lunn, Marlow-Eastwood, Maynard, Milligan, Pragnell, Redstone, Simmons, Standley, Barry Taylor.

ABSTENTIONS

None

Paragraph 1 (Notice of Motion – climate change)

26.1     The Chairman stated that as the recommendation of the Lead Member for Resources and Climate Change was to reject the motion rather than proposing an amendment the Council would vote on the original motion as proposed by Councillor Tutt and seconded by Councillor Field as set out in paragraph 1.1 of the report.

25.6     A recorded vote on the following motion was requested and taken:

At the meeting of the County Council on the 15th October 2019, East Sussex County Council declared a Climate Emergency and set a target to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

In light of increased evidence of the impact of global warming and the urgency required in order to address this, East Sussex County Council resolves to revise that target to 2030 and will with immediate effect establish a plan of actions in order to deliver on this target.  In addition, Council resolves to incorporate an environmental assessment on every Council report

 The Motion was LOST, the votes being cast as follows:

FOR THE MOTION

Councillors Clark, Collier, Denis, Field, Hilton, Holt, Lambert, Maples, Robinson, Shuttleworth, Swansborough, Georgia Taylor, Tutt, Ungar and Webb.

AGAINST THE MOTION

Councillors  Azad, Beaver, Belsey, Bennett, Bowdler, Daniel, Chris Dowling, Claire Dowling, Fox, Geary, Glazier, Hay, Hollidge, Howell, Kirby-Green, Liddiard, Lunn, Marlow-Eastwood, Maynard, Milligan, Pragnell, Redstone, Simmons, Standley, Barry Taylor.

ABSTENTIONS

None

(a)  Oral questions to Cabinet Members

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

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

27.2     Seven written questions were received from Councillors  Lambert and Field for  the Lead Member for Transport and Environment. The questions and answers are attached to these minutes. The Lead Member responded to  supplementary questions.