Agenda and draft minutes

26.1     The Lead Member approved as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 16 January 2026.

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.

27.1     There were none.

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

28.1     There were none.

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

Report by the Director of Adult Social Care and Health

30.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Adult Social Care and Health.

DECISIONS

30.2        The Lead Member RESOLVED to:

1)  Note the background to Crisis Resilience Fund (CRF) and the work that is completed and ongoing to develop our local East Sussex CRF Delivery Plan as set out in the report and the supplement;

2)  Agree to the overall approach and high-level Delivery Plan Framework, noting that detail will be further developed and appropriate approvals sought for specific elements of the scheme;

3)  Delegate authority to the Director of Adult Social Care and Health to determine the use and distribution of the additional CRF top?up allocation of £567,211 announced on 16 March 2026, to enable immediate support for residents in acute need arising from increased heating oil costs; and

4)  Delegate authority to the Director of Adult Social Care and Health in consultation with the Director of Children’s Services to take any actions necessary in relation to the implementation of the Crisis and Resilience Fund Delivery Plan.

REASONS

30.3        The Crisis and Resilience Fund provides a significant opportunity to support residents and households in East Sussex and support a number of objectives of East Sussex County Council and system partners.

30.4        Delegation of authority to the Director of Adult Social Care and Health to determine the use and distribution of the additional CRF top-up allocation of £567,211 announced on 16 March 2026 will allow the Council to act at the pace expected by Government, who state support should be made available “from today” to households in crisis. Officers need to quickly establish application routes to support households at risk.

30.5     There is an expectation that services will be provided as soon as possible from the beginning of the Fund period (1 April 2026). To meet this requirement and to ensure residents and households in East Sussex have access to support as soon as possible, the rapid development and mobilisation of a number of new or enhanced services is required.

Report by the Director of Adult Social Care and Health

31.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Adult Social Care and Health.

DECISIONS

31.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to approve the first two-year extension of the current contract for the provision of Specialist Sexual Health Services to the current provider - Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust - on the terms described within the report.

REASONS

31.3     The extension will ensure continued delivery of this mandated service while supporting the revised service specification and maintaining identified efficiencies. Therefore, it has been concluded that the requested term extension of the Specialist Sexual Health Service to the incumbent provider (KCHFT) represents the best value to the Council at this time.

Report by the Director of Adult Social Care and Health

32.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Adult Social Care and Health.

DECISIONS

32.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to approve the proposal for the direct award as described in the Exempt Report.

REASONS

32.3     On 15 December 2025 the Lead Member approved the continuation of The Circle Room Sexual Health Service under a new contract. The clinic is well used, cost effective and plays a crucial role in reducing unwanted pregnancies, STIs, and HIV amongst people under 25 years old.

32.4     Detail in relation to the successful provider along with reasons for recommending the award to this provider are set out in the exempt report.

Report by the Director of Adult Social Care and Health

33.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Adult Social Care and Health.

DECISIONS

33.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to:

1)  Approve the re-procurement of the Online Sexual Health Service in East Sussex as recommended in the Exempt Report; and

2)  Delegate authority to the Director of Adult Social Care and Health to take all necessary actions to award the contract.

REASONS

33.3     The current Online Sexual Health Service Contract is due to end on 31 October 2026.

33.4     The Online Sexual Health Service represents a high quality, discrete, co-designed, fully integrated offer of sexual health and contraceptive services. Maintaining this service is a priority to guarantee high accessibility of cost effective sexual health services for all, reduction of stigma, earlier detection of sexually transmitted infections and HIV and to reduce pressure on specialist sexual health services.

33.5     Detail in relation to the successful provider along with reasons for recommending the award to this provider are set out in the exempt report.

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).

34.1     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 Director of Adult Social Care and Health

35.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Adult Social Care and Health which provided exempt information in support of an earlier item on the agenda.

DECISION

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

REASON

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

Report by the Director of Adult Social Care and Health

36.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Adult Social Care and Health which provided exempt information in support of an earlier item on the agenda.

DECISION

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

REASON

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