Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the extraordinary meeting held on 13 January 2016 were presented and the Mayor was authorised to sign them as a correct record.

1.        The Mayor congratulated the Tourism department on its achievements in the Tourism South East ‘Beautiful South Awards’ with Airbourne winning gold in the ‘Tourism Event of the Year’ category and Eastbourne’s tourist information centre winning silver as ‘Visitor Information Provider of the Year’. 

2.        On the weekend of 21 and 22 November, The Society of Eastbourne Artists held an Exhibition and Sale of Paintings at the Town Hall in aid of the Mayor’s Charities.  The Mayor visited the exhibition during the weekend and the Mayor’s Charity volunteers provided refreshments for the visitors.  The event raised almost £1,000 for the Mayor’s Charities.

3.        The Mayor attended the Royal Hippodrome Theatre Civic Night Christmas Variety Show on 26 November.

4.        The Mayor was in attendance to flick the switch on the first showing of the much anticipated Neon Noel light show from the Town Hall on 4 December.   The show continued nightly until 13 December and ended with a firework display.

5.        During December the Mayor attended a number of Christmas Concerts and Festive events.

6.        On 17 December the Mayor attended the annual Pantomime Civic Night at the Devonshire Park Theatre.  This year’s pantomime was Peter Pan.

7.        On Christmas Day the Mayor took time out to attend the Rotary Club’s Alone at Christmas Event at Our Lady of Ransom Church Hall and was pleased to meet with local people who, without the event, would have spent Christmas Day alone.

8.        The Mayor was pleased to welcome a newspaper reporter from Eastbourne, New Zealand, to the Mayor’s Parlour on 7 January.  They discussed the two towns during the visit and the reporter took plenty of photos back to her home town.

9.        On 17 January the Mayor was pleased to be in attendance during the presentation of the Legion D’honneur award to Mr John Haydon.  A ceremony took place in the Mayor’s Parlour with Mr Haydon’s friends and family.

10.     The Mayor attended the Eastbourne Day of Prayer event in the Gold Room at the Winter Garden on 23 January and gave her best wishes for the town.

11.     On 29 January the Mayor’s Charities held a Quiz Night at the Town Hall.  The winning team were the Wedontknowits and they were presented with the winner’s shield which will be engraved with their team name.  The next Quiz Night will be held on Friday 22 April.

12.     On 4 and 5 February the Mayor’s Charity Team took up a pitch in the Arndale Centre where they were conducting a bucket collection and raising awareness of the two charities and the forthcoming events.  £250 was raised during the two days.

13.     The Mayor’s Charities for this year are Eastbourne RNLI Lifeboats and The JPK Sussex Project.  The Mayor’s Charity Ball will be held at the Winter Garden on 4 March 2016 and tickets are on sale now.  For enquiries regarding Mayor’s Charity events, please contact the Mayor’s Office.

Apologies for absence were reported from Councillors Belsey, Dow and Salsbury.

Declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) by members as required under Section 31 of the Localism Act and of other interests as required by the Code of Conduct (please see note at end of agenda).

None declared.

Report of Councillor Mattock on behalf of the Cabinet. 

Please note that the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 require named votes to be taken and recorded when setting the annual budget and council tax, this to include substantive motions and any amendments.

This matter was reported and proposed by Councillor Mattock on behalf of the Cabinet and seconded by Councillor Tutt.  The Council considered the reports to Cabinet, as included in the draft budget book and also the Cabinet minutes and resolutions from the meeting held on 3 February 2016. The budget proposals were also reported to Scrutiny Committee on 1 February 2016 where no comments or proposals for change were made.

The Council expressed its thanks and appreciation to officers and in particular the work undertaken by the Chief Finance Officer and his team in the preparation of the draft budget.

Resolved: (By 15 votes to 0 with 9 abstentions) That approval be given to the following:

1.        The recommendations as detailed in the reports from the Chief Finance Officer and the Senior Head of Community to Cabinet on 3 February 2016:

(i)          The General Fund net expenditure for 2016/17 of £15,165,850 and the growth and savings proposals.

(ii)         The charge for council tax for Eastbourne Borough Council Band D change to £228.51; an increase of 1.93%.

(iii)       Housing Revenue Account (HRA) income and expenditure proposals, including revised HRA budget for 2015/16 and the budget for 2016/17, rents and service charges, arrangements for finalising Eastbourne Homes’ management fee and annual plan.

(iv)       General Fund capital programme as set out in the report of the Chief Finance Officer.

(v)        The Treasury Management Strategy and Prudential Indicators.

2.        That consequent upon a General Fund budget of £15,165,850 and other matters, the basic amount (Band D) of Council Tax for the Borough Council's functions will be £228.51 calculated as follows:

The statutory resolutions relating to this matter are given at paragraphs 3 and 4 below.

3.        That it be noted that at its meeting on 9 December 2015 the Cabinet (in exercise of powers delegated to them by the Council) delegated the final determination of the Council Tax Base to the Chief Finance Officer. This has been set at an amount of 33,606.10 Band ‘D’ equivalent properties for the year 2016/17 (Item T in the formula in section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended by the Localism Act 2011).

4.        Calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2016/17 as £7,679,330.

5.        That the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2016/17 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended by the Localism Act 2011:

Report of Councillor Tester on behalf of the Cabinet.

This matter was reported and proposed by Councillor Tester on behalf of the Cabinet and seconded by Councillor Tutt.

Resolved: (By 15 votes to 1) That the new contract procedure rules, incorporating the corrections and updates as appended to the report, be approved.

Report of Councillor Wallis on behalf of the Cabinet.

This matter was reported and proposed by Councillor Wallis on behalf of the Cabinet and seconded by Councillor Freebody.

Resolved:  That the Council’s Gambling Policy (Statement of Principles) 2016 – 2019 which will form the Council’s approach to gambling matters under the Gambling Act 2005 for the next three years, unless reviewed in the interim, be approved.

Report of Councillor Mattock on behalf of the Cabinet.

This matter was reported and proposed by Councillor Mattock on behalf of the Cabinet and seconded by Councillor Tutt.

Resolved: That the treasury management strategy and annual investment strategy; the methodology for calculating the minimum revenue provision; the prudential and treasury indicators and the specified and non-specified investment categories, as set out in the report to Cabinet on 3 February, be approved.

Report of Councillor Alan Shuttleworth on behalf of the Cabinet.

This matter was reported and proposed by Councillor Shuttleworth on behalf of the Cabinet and seconded by Councillor Tutt.

Councillor Shuttleworth highlighted the importance of the Council joining the lobby to challenge the government’s intention through the Housing and Planning Bill to reduce the stock of social housing through the forced sale of high value council stock to fund the sale of housing association homes to tenants.

Resolved: That the amendments to the Council’s Scheme of Delegation to Officers as set out at paragraphs 64.8 and 64.9 of the Cabinet minutes held on 3 February 2016 be approved.

Council is asked to approve the calendar of meetings for 2016/17 (subject to final ratification at the Council’s next annual meeting).

The Council considered the proposed calendar of meetings for 2016/17 submitted by the Senior Head of Corporate Development and Governance.

It was proposed by Councillor Tutt, seconded by Councillor Freebody and:

Resolved: That the calendar of meetings for 2016/17 be approved.

Report of Senior Local Democracy Officer.

The Council considered the report of the Senior Local Democracy Officer regarding a proposed change to an existing polling place within the Devonshire Ward. 

At its meeting on 19 November 2014 Council had considered a proposal to move the existing DVB polling station from the Eastbourne Operatic and Dramatic Society Centre (EODS) at 96 Seaside as part of a full review of the Borough’s polling districts and polling places.  A decision had been deferred until after the 2015 elections.

A change of venue was recommended due to certain shortcomings of the EODS centre including poor access and facilitates and its need for refurbishment.  A fully equipped and accessible premises had been identified at the Eastbourne Blind Society Centre at 124 Longstone Road.  It was noted that no re-drawing of polling district boundaries would be required.

Two responses had been received following the 7 week consultation which had ended on 29 January 2016.  P Newton (voluntary worker supporting disabled people) had indicated acceptance of the proposed change.  In response to the aspirations of EODS to renovate the building, the Council noted that due to its uncertain future, a move to different premises was still recommended. 

It was proposed by Councillor Wallis, seconded by Councillor Freebody and:

Resolved: (1) That the Acting Returning Officer’s proposal in respect of polling district DVB (Devonshire Ward), to move the existing polling place from EODS at 96 Seaside to the Eastbourne Blind Society Centre at 124 Longstone Road be approved.

(2) That the Senior Electoral Services Officer, on behalf of the Acting Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer, be authorised to implement the Council’s decisions in respect of the review.

Motion submitted by Councillor Ray Blakebrough:-

Eastbourne Borough Council calls for an investigation into a sustainable solution of sea defences in Sovereign Harbour.

The following motion was proposed by Councillor Blakebrough and seconded by Councillor di Cara:

That this Council states its support for the work being undertaken by the town’s MP in seeking to identify a sustainable solution to future sea defences in Sovereign Harbour.

Note:  In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 13.14 the wording of the above motion was amended from the version published on the agenda with the consent of the meeting.

The following amendment was proposed by Councillor Tester and seconded by Councillor Tutt:

Delete all the words between the words "That this Council" and the words “a sustainable solution to future sea defences in Sovereign Harbour”, and insert the following replacement words:

"calls on the Member of Parliament for Eastbourne to work with the Environment Agency, colleagues in government, and where appropriate, other partners and stakeholders to deliver”

Then add the following the words:

“This Council believes that for a solution to be truly sustainable it must be complemented with consistent and rigorous action from all levels of government to tackle climate change and its effects”.

Following the debate the mover of the motion indicated acceptance of the amendment.

Resolved: (By 22 votes with 2 abstentions) That the following amended motion be approved:

That this Council calls on the Member of Parliament for Eastbourne to work with the Environment Agency, colleagues in government, and where appropriate, other partners and stakeholders to deliver a sustainable solution to future sea defences in Sovereign Harbour.

This Council believes that for a solution to be truly sustainable it must be complemented with consistent and rigorous action from all levels of government to tackle climate change and its effects.

Members of the Council who wish to raise items for discussion (council procedure rule 14) on any of the minutes of the meetings of formal council bodies listed below must submit their request to the Senior Head of Corporate Development and Governance no later than 10.00 am on Wednesday 17 February 2016. A list of such items (if any) will be circulated prior to the start of the meeting.

The following are appended to this agenda:-

The minutes of the following Council bodies were submitted to this meeting.

No items for discussion were raised on the above minutes.  Further to Council procedure rule 14.3 it was:

Resolved: That the minutes of the above Council bodies be accepted.