Agenda and minutes

1.1       The Lead Member approved as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 9 May 2022.

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.

2.1       There were none.

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

3.1       There were no urgent items.

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

Report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

5.1       The Leader and Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport.

5.2       It was noted that the titles for the following appendices to the report should read as follows:

·         Appendix 1 should read: Appendix 1: 2021/22 LGF Programme: Final Spend and Mitigation

·         Appendix 3 should read: Appendix 3: 2022/23 LGF Programme: Proposed Spend Profile

DECISIONS

5.3       The Leader and Lead Member RESOLVED to:

(1) Note the final 2021/22 spend for the Local Growth Fund programme and the amount of funds re-profiled into the East Sussex County Council Capital Programme;

(2) Note the final 2021/22 spend for the Getting Building Fund programme and the amount of funds re-profiled into the East Sussex County Council Capital Programme;

(3) Note the final 2021/22 spend for the Growing Places Fund programme and the amount of funds re-profiled into the East Sussex County Council Capital Programme;

(4) Agree the confirmed scheme spend profiles for the Local Growth Fund programme for the 2022/23 financial year;

(5) Agree the confirmed scheme spend profiles for the Getting Building Fund programme for the 2022/23 financial year; and

(6) Agree the confirmed scheme spend profiles for the Growing Places Fund programme for the 2022/23 financial year.

REASONS

5.4       Taking into consideration the ongoing impact of Covid on the delivery of capital infrastructure programmes, East Sussex have continued to be successful in delivering over £60m of funding across the Local Growth Fund, Getting Building Fund and Growing Places Fund projects by the close of 2021/22.

5.5       The proposed spend profile for the 2022/23 and 2023/24 financial years across the ten Local Growth Fund projects takes into account the mitigation options outlined in paragraph 1.6 of the report and will allow the schemes detailed in Appendix 2 of the report to progress.

5.6       Following a decision at the July 2021 SELEP Accountability Board to allow projects to continue past this deadline providing that they met criteria outlined by the board and a further decision at the February 2022 SELEP Accountability Board to transfer any outstanding GBF grant held by Essex County Council to local partner accountable bodies by the end of the 21/22 financial year, East Sussex County Council were transferred the remaining £1.005m. The proposed spend profile is outlined in Appendix 8 of the report and will allow for the schemes detailed in Appendix 9 of the report to progress.

5.7       Over the first three funding rounds, East Sussex benefitted from over £23.5m of GPF which has been invested in eight projects in the county. The proposed drawdown and repayment schedule is outlined in Appendix 5 of the report and will allow the schemes detailed in Appendix 6 of the report to progress.

5.8       The allocated budgets for the individual projects in the 2022/23 GBF programme include the use of the funds that were offset against the East Sussex County Council capital programme under capital swap mitigation option available in the SELEP Accountability and Assurance Framework.

Report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

6.1       The Leader and Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport.

DECISIONS

6.2       The Leader and Lead Member RESOLVED to:

(1) Approve grant funding up to the total value of £1,620,514 to the following four projects, subject to prioritisation and approval of each project’s business case by the SELEP Accountability Board:

(i)            Winter Garden Phase 2 - £900,000

(ii)           Seven Sisters County Park, Visitor Infrastructure Uplift - £84,100

(iii)          Observer Building - Essential elements - £315,000

(iv)          Accessing Charleston: Removing the barrier to growth (Project Extension) - £321,414

(2) Delegate authority to the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport (CET), in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer, to agree the terms of the variation to the existing grant or funding agreements or new grant or funding agreements as appropriate (including any necessary documentation with SELEP and the project deliverers for each project), and take all other necessary actions as required to implement decision 1 above.

REASONS

6.3       The four projects highlighted in the report all help to support the objectives and priority areas of the Government’s Getting Building Fund as well as the aims and ambitions of the County Council’s core priority of driving sustainable economic growth.

Report by the Director of Adult Social Care and Health

7.1       The Leader and Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Adult Social Care and Health along with comments from the Health and Social Care Integration Programme (HASCIP).

DECISIONS

7.2       The Leader and Lead Member RESOLVED to:

1) Agree the terms of reference for the Sussex Health and Care Assembly (Appendix 2 of the report), setting out the Council’s statutory role in this body;

2) Agree the emerging Sussex-wide strategic priorities in the current draft joint Sussex Health and Care Strategy, as summarised in paragraphs 2.8 – 2.9 in the report, and;

3) Agree the feedback to strengthen the draft Strategy from the perspective of East Sussex Place and population, as summarised in paragraphs 2.14 – 2.18 in the report, and any other feedback as appropriate, prior to it being presented to the Health and Wellbeing Board and Assembly for endorsement and approval respectively in December 2022.

REASONS

7.3       The current draft Sussex Health and Care Assembly terms of reference and draft Strategy are based on the principles of population and Place first (as set out in Appendix 1 of the report), providing a helpful framework that aligns with and adds value to the existing Health and Wellbeing Board Strategy, and associated plans and activities. This recognises the Council’s lead role and contribution and that, within the Sussex Integrated Care System, Place is key to strategic leadership and implementation of transformation, as well as local commissioning and delivery for population services.

7.4       In keeping with this, the draft Strategy sets out a high level strategic statement of common purpose across Sussex, and the critical areas of focus for the Sussex Health and Care Assembly. This will support the Health and Care Partnerships to lead and coordinate work in the three Places aimed at delivering improved health, reduced health inequalities and integrated care for their populations.

7.5       There are no changes to the Council’s statutory role and responsibilities for services and budgets. The Council will remain responsible for setting the Authority’s priorities and budgets through the Reconciling Policy Performance and Resources (RPPR) process. The approach outlined in the draft Strategy will add value through helping partner organisations focus on the things that can only be achieved well by working together.

7.6       In order to ensure a clear focus on the role of the Health and Wellbeing Board, and the leadership and coordination of the shared Strategy ambitions at Place level in the forthcoming strategy delivery plan, it is suggested that some further summary content is included in the final Strategy. This would briefly describe the work that has already been taken forward by partners in East Sussex on integrated community health and social care driven by our specific population needs, and signal the planned next steps. This would enable the ICS to avoid any potential duplication of effort, so that the Council’s participation in delivering the Strategy can achieve:

•               Added value in supporting the Council’s continuing commitment and ambition to deliver the best possible outcomes for local residents:-  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.