Agenda item

ReportsBRIAN GADD AND PHYLLIDA STEWART-ROBERTS

32.1     The Chairman paid tribute to a former colleague, Brian Gadd, and a former Lord Lieutenant Phyllida Stewart-Roberts following their recent deaths. Brian was a respected councillor and represented the Bexhill West Division from 2001 to 2013 and served as the Chair of the Children’s Services Scrutiny Committee and Regulatory Committee. Phyllida served as Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex from 2000 to 2008. On behalf of the Council the Chairman offered condolences to Brain and Phyllida’s family and friends.

32.2     The Council stood in silence as a mark of respect to Brian Gadd and Phyllida Stewart-Roberts

PHIL HALL

32.3     On behalf of the Council, the Chairman welcomed Phil Hall, the interim Chief Finance Officer, to his first County Council meeting

SALLY MARKS

32.4     The Chairman welcomed Councillor Sally Marks, the Chairman of Surrey County Council, to the meeting and explained that she was attending as part of the initiative to develop closer links between the Chairmen of East Sussex, West Sussex and Surrey County Councils. The Chairman stated that he had recently attended Council meetings at the other 2 councils.

CHAIRMAN’S ACTIVITIES

32.5     The Chairman stated that it has been a huge honour to be Chairman of the Council and to be an ambassador throughout the County and beyond. I have attended the Council meetings of both West Sussex County Council and Surrey County Council, and observed their different style and processes. I have travelled to the four corners of the County and seen high technology and creative arts, young people’s energetic activities and patient care for children with life limiting conditions. I have attended a number of engagements since the last County Council meeting, including: Respond Academy in St Leonards, University of Brighton graduation ceremony, Sussex 100 Cub Scout centenary camp at Ardingly, Hummingbird Sensing Technology in Crowborough receiving their Queen’s Award for Innovation, Arts exhibitions in Rye, Bexhill, and Eastbourne, Tyefest in Telscombe, and the unveiling of the contemporary statue outside of the Seaford library. I have also made a visit to the Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice that is supported by charitable sponsorship and donations, and also visited The Parchment Trust to see the tremendous work they do for adults with learning difficulties. All this and more has shown me just what a wonderful County we live in, and just how many community minded people we have in our midst. I was pleased to host two Volunteer Tea Parties, one at Mountfield Village Hall, the other at Ringmer Village Hall, where I was able to acknowledge the fantastic work of so many volunteers. I was pleased to have Councillors Chris and Claire Dowling joining me on both occasions. The Chairman referred to the Ashdown Forest Volunteers, because this year they were awarded the Queen’s Award by the Lord Lieutenant Peter Field for all the diligent work they do for our community. On your behalf I attended the funeral services of Phyllida Stewart-Roberts, the former Lord Lieutenant, and also Brian Gadd, our former colleague County Councillor. On your behalf, my wife and I attended two commemorations of significant battles. In August we joined the Mayor of Dieppe for the commemoration of the 74^th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid in 1942 when six Nations joined in a solemn vigil to remember the lost of the second World War. Just last week we joined the crowds in Battle to commemorate the 950^th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings in 1066. From the Thursday 13 October when I welcomed the Saxon warriors arriving across the boundary of this Shire County of East Sussex at Bodium, having walked all of the 300 miles from Stamford Bridge where they had remembered the defeat of the Danish invasion, to the poignant service in St Mary’s Church in Battle where both Saxon warriors and Norman soldiers in full battle dress faced each other across the choir stalls, and the Dean leading the service in both English and French, then to the openair of Battle  Abbey Square for the beating of the retreat by the band of the Royal Engineers. It has been a truly memorable three months. The Vice-Chairman has also attended a number of events.

PRAYERS

32.6     The Chairman thanked Reverend Neville Barnett for leading prayers before the meeting

PETITIONS

32.7     The Chairman informed the Council that immediately before the meeting the following petitions had been received from members: