Agenda and draft minutes

35.1     The Lead Member approved as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 21 October 2025.

Disclosure by all Members present of personal interests in matters on the agenda, the nature of any interest and whether the Members regard the interest as prejudicial under the terms of the Code of Conduct

36.1     There were none.

Notification of any items which the Lead Member considers urgent and proposes to take at the appropriate part of the agenda.

37.1     There were none.

38.1     Reports referred to in the minutes below are contained in the minute book.

Report by the Chief Operating Officer

39.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Chief Operating Officer.

39.2     It was agreed to remove the words ‘right now’ from the following sentence within the East Sussex County Council’s Priorities and Social Value section of the policy at Appendix 1 of the report: “The East Sussex Social Value Model ensures that we focus our pursuit of Social Value on what is important in East Sussex right now.”

DECISION

39.3     The Lead Member RESOLVED to approve the updates to the Social Value Policy set out in Appendix 1 of the report including the amendment detailed in minute 39.2 above.

REASON

39.4     The updates to the Social Value Policy set out in Appendix 1 have been made to align with the East Sussex Social Value Model and best practice.

Report by the Chief Operating Officer

40.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Chief Operating Officer together with exempt information in a later agenda item.

DECISIONS

40.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to:

1) Review written offers submitted following the marketing of Phoenix Centre, Lewes and agree to grant a lease to the highest scoring organisation as set out in Appendices 2 and 3 to the exempt report;

2) Approve that lease terms are agreed with the recommended organisation, in accordance with s123 of the Local Government Act 1972;

3) Delegate authority to the Chief Operating Officer to agree the terms of the lease in accordance with s123 of the Local Government Act 1972, including proceeding with the next best offer(s) in the event of the transaction(s) not completing within the expected timelines; and

4) Delegate authority to the Chief Operating Officer to take all actions necessary to give effect to the recommendations in the report.

REASONS

40.3     The proposed terms are considered to reflect the best consideration for the Site in accordance with s.123 of the Local Government Act 1972.

40.4     Delegation of authority to the Chief Operating Officer to agree the terms of the lease in accordance with s123 of the Local Government Act 1972, including proceeding with the next best offer(s) in the event of the transaction(s) not completing within the expected timelines; and to take all actions necessary to give effect to the recommendations in the report will facilitate the timely completion of the documentation.

To consider excluding the public and press from the meeting for the remaining agenda item on the grounds that if the public and press were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as specified in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

41.1     It was RESOLVED to exclude the public and press from the meeting for the remaining agenda items on the grounds that if the public and press were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as specified in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Report by the Chief Operating Officer

42.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Chief Operating Officer which provided exempt information in support of an earlier item on the agenda.

DECISION

42.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to note the exempt information in relation to an earlier item on the agenda.

REASON

42.3     The report contained exempt information in relation to an earlier item on the agenda.