Decisions

Set the policy for the year ahead as required by the Policy in relation to the use of covert investigative techniques.

12.1     The Leader and Lead Member considered a report by the Assistant Chief Executive.

DECISIONS

12.2     The Leader and Lead Member RESOLVED to approve the County Council’s Policy in relation to the use of Covert Investigative Techniques (‘the Policy’) as set out in Appendix 1 of the report.

REASONS

12.3     The Policy is formally reviewed on an annual basis to comply with the requirements of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (as amended) (‘RIPA’), Investigative Powers Act 2016 (‘IPA’) and the Home Office codes.

36.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Adult Social Care and Health regarding the Market Sustainability Plan.

DECISIONS

36.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to agree the draft of the final Market Sustainability Plan attached at Appendix 1 of the report.

REASONS

36.3     The Department of Health and Social Care requires Local Authorities with responsibility for Adult Social Care services to submit and publish a Market Sustainability Plan.

35.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Adult Social Care and Health regarding the proposed use of the Household Support Fund, to provide support to households with pensioners, households with a disabled person and other vulnerable households between 1 April 2023 – 31 March 2024.

DECISIONS

35.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to:

1) approve the proposed use of £1,844,500 of the Household Support Fund, to provide support to households with pensioners, households with a disabled person and other vulnerable households between 1 April – 31 March 2024; and

2) delegate to the Director of Adult Social Care and Health authority to take all actions necessary to implement the scheme.

REASONS

35.3     The scheme provides a further opportunity to extend the support to households with pensioners, households with a disabled person and other vulnerable households within East Sussex who are experiencing financial challenges.

To set out next steps including consideration to commence public consultation process for Uckfield Leisure Centre. The Council own the freehold of this asset and the property is leased to Wealden District Council until July 2023.

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

DECISIONS

73.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to approve the proposal to hold a 10-week public consultation regarding the options for Uckfield Leisure Centre (including Uckfield swimming pool) to commence in March 2023.

REASONS

73.3     Wealden District Council has recently re-confirmed that it is not their intention to renew the lease in July 2023 and following the Expression of Interest marketing exercise held last year, East Sussex County Council now proposes to commence public consultation to seek views from all stakeholders and consider any new ideas, or proposals that may come forward.

To agree to move to formal Lead Member sign off for the extension of the Collaborative Partnership Agreement with East Sussex Health Care Trust (ESHT)  for the continued  provision of  the 0-19  Early Help service, that will include delivery of the Healthy Child Programme.

15.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services regarding the extension of the Collaborative Partnership Agreement between East Sussex County Council (ESCC) and East Sussex Health Care Trust (ESHT) for the provision of 0–19 Early Help Service.

DECISION

15.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to approve the extension of the Collaborative Partnership Agreement between East Sussex County Council and East Sussex Health Care Trust (ESHT) for the provision of 0–19 Early Help service for 3 years until March 2026

REASON

15.3     The extension of the partnership agreement includes a review and refresh of the partnership agreement, to ensure it reflects current guidance and standards.

The decision being sought is to approve a new Children’s Supported Accommodation Approved List to be launched in 2023 and to approve delegation to the application evaluation panel for the award of placements onto the Approved List. There is no guarantee of work for these.

We also seek delegation for call-off awards to the Budget Holder, Chief Officer, or Assistant Director for Children’s Services (depending on the value according to the thresholds of the Procurement Contract Standing Orders), and if a call-off meets the criteria for Lead Member Key Decision, this process will be followed. 

14.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services regarding the Children’s Supported Accommodation Approved List (CSAAL).

DECISION

14.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to:

1) approve the establishment of the Children’s Supported Accommodation Approved List; and

2) delegate authority to the application evaluation panel to approve the appointment of providers onto the Approved List

REASON

14.3     The establishment of a new Approved List (CSAAL) to commission services from 2023 will contribute to the delivery of the Local Authority’s sufficiency needs for this cohort by:

·         Further developing and diversifying the market and placements within East Sussex;

·         Enabling a wider range of placements to be commissioned and directly awarded;

·         Bringing all providers within a single quality, performance, and contract management regime;

·         Ensuring all providers of 16/17 year old provision meet Ofsted requirements; and

·         Enabling services to be commissioned and awarded for the best possible price.

Approval of the proposed use of the Household Support Fund Round 4 (1 April – 30 September 2023) for the spend on children and families.  A report is also being considered by the Lead Member for Adult Social Care for the spend of this fund on adults.

29.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services regarding the Household Support Fund.

DECISIONS

29.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to:

1) approve the proposed use of £2,052,500 of the Household Support Fund, to provide support to households with children between 1 April – 30 September 2023; and

2) delegate to the Director of Children’s Services authority to implement the scheme

REASON

29.3     The scheme provides a further opportunity to extend the support to households with children, households with pensioners, households with a disabled person and other vulnerable households within East Sussex who are experiencing financial challenges.

The outcome of the consultation agreed at the October 2022 meeting will be reported back to the Lead Member at the February 2023 meeting for a decision as to what the admission arrangements for 2024-25 will be.

28.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services regarding the admission arrangements for Community and Voluntary Controlled (VC) schools in East Sussex for the 2024-25 academic year (and the proposed co-ordinated schemes of admission for the same year), as required by the School Admissions Code 2021.

DECISIONS

28.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to:

1) agree the admission arrangements for 2024-25 including the changes to give priority to children of staff and to alter the community areas for Polegate and Willingdon Primary Schools and Willingdon Community School as set out in Appendix 1 of the report;

2) agree the Published Admission Number (PAN) increase for Robertsbridge Community College and PAN decrease for Iford and Kingston CE Primary School, and the PANs for other schools as set out in Appendix 2 of the report; and

3) agree the adoption of the co-ordinated schemes of admission as set out in Appendices 3, 4 and 5 of the report.

REASON

28.3     The School Admissions Code 2021 (“the Code”) states that admission authorities must determine their admission arrangements annually.

27.1    The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services regarding the publication of the East Sussex Childcare Sufficiency Duty report 2023.

DECISION

27.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to approve the publication of the East Sussex Childcare Sufficiency Duty report for 2023.

REASON

27.3     The Local Authority has a duty to publish a Childcare Sufficiency Duty report annually. The document supports the Local Authority’s statutory obligation of on-going assessment of childcare provision for children aged 0-14 years old (and up to 18 years old for children with Special Educational Needs and Disability) in East Sussex.