To confirm and sign the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council dated 3 December 2014 (copy previously circulated).

Disclosure by councillors of personal interests in matters on the agenda, the nature of any interest and whether the councillor regards the interest as prejudicial under the terms of the Code of Conduct

To receive any announcements from the Chair of the Council, Leader of the Council, Members of the Cabinet or the Chief Executive.

A list of the Chair of the Council's engagements since the Meeting of the Council on 3 December 2014 is enclosed – Appendix A – page 7.

To deal with questions which members of the public may wish to put to members of the Cabinet in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10 (Questions submitted by Ian Linton herewith - page 9).

To receive petitions from councillors or members of the public in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12 (if any).

To consider the Report of the Director of Service Delivery (Report No 28/15 herewith – page 10).

(NB Appendix C to the above Report contains exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) (ie information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information). It can be found on page 63).

To deal with written questions which councillors may wish to put to the Chair of the Council, a Lead Councillor on the Cabinet or the Chair of any committee or sub-committee in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11 (if any).

To deal with questions (if any) which councillors may wish to put to the Leader of the Council. It will be at the Leader’s discretion to re-direct questions to relevant Members of the Cabinet. A councillor wishing to raise a question must notify the Chair of the Council of the text of the question prior to the commencement of the meeting. (NB This item is limited to a maximum of 5 questions, with no more than 1 question being asked per councillor. If a question requires a detailed or technical response, the Leader may decide that a written response is more appropriate).

To deal with ward issues which councillors wish to raise. A councillor wishing to raise a ward issue must notify the Chair of the Council prior to the commencement of the meeting in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.8 (if any).

In accordance with Scrutiny Procedure Rule 17, to receive details of any urgent decisions taken by the Cabinet or Cabinet Members since the Meeting of the Council on 3 December 2014.

(i) To consider the Recommendations from the meeting of the Cabinet held on 5 January 2015 (Minute Extracts herewith – page 21) and the non-budget related Recommendations from the meeting of the Cabinet held on 12 February 2015 (Minute Extracts herewith - page 24).

(ii) To consider the Recommendations from the meeting of the Cabinet held on 12 February 2015 in respect of the financial matters leading up to the setting of the Council Tax (Minute Extracts herewith - page 28).

(iii) To consider and, if thought appropriate, adopt a formal resolution for the Council Tax for the year ending 31 March 2016 (Report No 29/15 herewith - page 41).

(a) In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 13 Councillor Dean has submitted the following Notice of Motion:

"I respectfully request that this council to consider the regrettable situation that ‘Affordable Housing’ does not effectively address the problem of a shortage of local housing for people who live and work in Lewes District for the following reasons;

(1) Affordable Housing does not address the problem of homelessness and those in greatest need locally, despite being subsidized.

(2) It is set at market rate, instead of the average salary, which makes it unaffordable for people who live and work in the district.

(3) This policy undermines local communities at a time when central government is cutting services. Families and communities are a crucial support system and surely housing policy needs to take this into account?

(4) ‘Affordable Housing’ prices out key workers in the District.

I would like to call upon this council to consider;

(1) reviewing the notion of, ‘Affordable Housing’ in relation to Social Housing, in terms of both priority and level of subsidy.

(2) Set the cost of Affordable Housing at the average salary for local workers.

(3) Tie in the availability of, ‘Affordable Housing’ to key workers, including local business owners with a maximum gross turnover of £100,000".




(b) In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 13 Councillor Dean has submitted the following Notice of Motion:

"That this council deplores the lack of public analysis and debate given to Fracking and Shale gas exploration at all levels of government, and that this lack of public debate undermines the principle of representative democracy.

Setting aside the issue of whether or not the benefits of Fracking outweigh the costs, all three major parties, have agreed to allow Fracking and Shale Gas exploration to go ahead, regardless of public opinion and deprived us all of an opportunity to consider this as an electoral issue.

I would urge councillors to read the Department of Energy and Climate Changes paper , Fracking UK Shale : Planning permission and Communities and to make themselves aware of the issue if they are not already.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/283832/Planning_v3.pdf

I would also urge this council to consider producing information about this process for the general public independently of any information provided by ESCC or the SDNPA.".



(c) In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 13 Councillor Saunders has submitted the following Notice of Motion:

"I would ask the Council to note the following:

Newhaven Town Centre has been suffering from both a lack of footfall and investment for many years and despite this Council's stated desire to invest and help regenerate the area, there has been little real progress. Whilst the new UTC that is planned to be open in September of this year, will be a welcome boost and the Rampion Windfarm has also raised expectations for Newhaven residents and businesses alike, the shops and businesses in the town centre have continued to decline. All the banks and building societies have shut up shop and left, despite heartfelt pleas and protests from our MP, local Members and the Town Council. Local people and visitors alike, are dissuaded from coming into the Town because of the cost of parking, combined with the decreasing number and variety of shops and retail businesses that are there.

The Leader of this Council was against considering the concession of free parking in the town's car parks in the run up to Christmas last year, which had previously received support from the vast majority of its members. This has always been warmly welcomed by the people of the Town and has helped to boost trade. Indeed, the Chamber of Commerce has recommended the introduction of free parking on a more permanent basis, to attract more retail into the High Street and to actively support those that struggle to trade with the lack of footfall.

I have brought to this council the problems we have with vehicles ignoring bylaws in place in the High Street and illegally park and drive through, endangering the lives of young and old alike. The local police team have agreed that free parking will almost certainly minimise the infringement of traffic laws and enable them to deal more easily with those few that may flagrantly continue to do so.

Our MP has raised the issue in the past and is again pressing for this Council to consider introducing free off-street parking."

I therefore propose the following Notice of Motion to this Council:

"That for a period of one calendar year from April 1st 2015, Lewes District Council introduces a scheme to all their pay and display car parks within Newhaven, that provides for the first 2 hours free. This shows a commitment by this Council to help fulfill its promises to Newhaven of regeneration and support and will enable LDC to to carry out a review into the impact it has on the High Street businesses. The findings of such a review should include feedback from the Chamber of Commerce, the Neighbourhood Policing Team, Newhaven Town Council and the County Council's Parking Enforcement Team and can help provide information for similar schemes in other towns within the District in the future.""

To consider the Report of the Assistant Director of Corporate Services (Report No 30/15 herewith - page 58).

To receive feedback from the Council’s representatives who serve on outside bodies in respect of meetings they have attended (if any). A councillor wishing to provide feedback must notify the Chair of the Council prior to the commencement of the meeting.

• Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information);