The Mayor welcomed all Councillors to the second online Full Council meeting being held remotely in accordance with government regulations.

There were no apologies for absence.

Councillor Burton declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in Item 11, as the charity that she ran had received a business grant.  However, she remained in the room as the item was not discussed.

Councillor Holt declared personal interests for transparency in the following items as he was employed by Your Eastbourne BID (Business Improvement District):

• Item 8 (a), as the BID may apply for future grants or support for recovery.
• Item 9 (a), as the BID had provided a public written speech in respect of this item.
• Item 11, as the BID had been supporting organisations to claim grants but had not received any funding to do so.

Councillor Shuttleworth declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Item 11, as chair of the charity trustees for Langney Community Library, who received support from the grants. However, he remained in the room as the item was not discussed.

Councillor Wallis declared a personal interest in Item 9a as he worked for a charity called ‘Warming up the Homeless’.

To receive and sign as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 2020 were presented and the Mayor was authorised to sign them as a correct record, subject to a correction to minute 2 to replace the name ‘Derek Cullen’ with the name ‘Dennis Cullen’.

The Mayor to report any requests received from a member of the public under council procedure rule 11 in respect of any referred item or motion listed below.

The Mayor advised that four public speeches had been submitted in respect of Item 9(a) use of Emergency Accommodation in Eastbourne from the following people, which would be read out by an officer at the start of that item, and had been circulated to all Councillors in advance of the meeting:

Christina Ewbank of Eastbourne Chamber of Commerce

Luke Johnson of Your Eastbourne BID (Business Improvement District)

Kris Hayter of The Eastbourne Hospitality Association

Heidi Lane proprietor of the Crown and Anchor Pub

A list of the Mayor’s announcements in respect of his activities since the last meeting is attached for information.

The Mayor drew attention to the list of the mayoral engagements on the agenda.

The Mayor advised that since the last meeting of the Council, Dean Sabri had stepped down as a Councillor and thanked him for his work in his ward and for the Borough and wished him well in his new endeavours. 

The Leader, Councillor Tutt, also played tribute to Dean Sabri for his work on the Council and wished him well for the future.

The Council may vary the order of business if, in the opinion of the Mayor, a matter should be given precedence by reason of special urgency.

The business proceeded in accordance with the agenda.

The following matters are submitted to the Council for decision (council procedure rule 12 refers):-

Report of Councillor Holt on behalf of the Cabinet.  Referred from Cabinet on 10 February 2021.  To include decisions in respect of:

-       General Fund Budget 2021/22 and Capital Programme.

-       Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Revenue Budget and Rent Setting 2021/22 and HRA Capital Programme 2020-24; and

-       Treasury Management and Prudential Indicators 2020/21, Capita Strategy and Investment Strategy.

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

Councillor Holt moved and Councillor Tutt seconded the recommendations set out in the agenda, in relation to the Council Budget and setting of the Council Tax for 2021/22.   This incorporated recommendations from Cabinet in respect of the General Fund Budget 2021/22 and Capital Programme, Housing Revenue Account Revenue Budget and Rent Setting 2021/22 and HRA Capital Programme 2020-24, the Treasury Management and Prudential Indicators for 2020/21, Capital Strategy and Investment Strategy.

Councillor Smart moved and Councillor di Cara seconded an amendment, which had been circulated to all Councillors, to add the following as an additional recommendation (11):

“Eastbourne Borough Council is pleased to receive the offer of exceptional financial support from the Government, will fulfil its statutory obligations, and will revise its budget as necessary when the requirements of the Capitalisation Direction are known, including the recommendations of the mandated external assurance review.”

Councillor Holt as Cabinet Member for Finance presented the budget. He highlighted the impact of coronavirus on the authority and the local area, and its impact on the Council’s finances, and expressed his condolences to the families of those who had lost their lives.  He advised that the Council had achieved over £4.8m savings or efficiencies over the last year but had faced a loss of 60% of its income due to the impact of Covid 19. He advised that there had been extensive external scrutiny of the Council’s financial position, and on the basis of this the Government had provided a loan and capitalisation direction to the Council, which would enabled it to achieve a balanced budget and to stabilise its position during the next year, and he set out the context of the plans for this recovery in terms of Council investments, strategies and partnership working.  He thanked the Chief Finance Officer and her team for their work on the budget. 

Councillor Smart responded to the budget proposals on behalf of the opposition and presented his amendment.  He paid tribute to residents and Council employees in their response to Covid 19, and in particular the speed of business grant distribution.  He expressed his concerns that the final audited accounts for 2018/19 and 2019/20 had not yet been presented to the Council, and as to the uncertainties this created for the budget proposals.  He stated his view that the loss of income was not the major contributor to the shortfall experienced by the Council but was due to choices made by the administration over the last few years. He welcomed the external assurance review required by Government as part of its capitalisation direction, and suggested that a revised budget be prepared after this review, and asked that an additional Council meeting be added in September if necessary to consider this.

The Council debated the budget in full, and Councillor Smart and Councillor Holt were given the opportunity to sum up at the end of the discussion. 

As part of her contribution to the discussion, Councillor Bannister paid tribute to the work of Phil Evans, Director of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24a

Report of Councillor Shuttleworth on behalf of the Cabinet.  Referred from Cabinet on 2 December 2020.

Councillor Shuttleworth moved and Councillor Tutt seconded the recommendations from Cabinet to approve the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme and continue with the Exceptional Hardship scheme.

This was put to the Council and approved unanimously.

Resolved –

1.    To adopt the 2020/21 Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme as the 2021/22 scheme; and

2.    To continue the Exceptional Hardship Scheme in 2021/22.

Report of Councillor Rodohan on behalf Licensing Committee held on 18 January 2021.

Councillor Rodohan moved and Councillor Tutt seconded the recommendations from the Licensing Committee to approve the licensing fees for 2021/22.

This was put to the Council and approved unanimously.

Resolved –

1.    To formally ratify the scale of licensing fees for 2021/22 set out within Appendix 1 to the report, to apply from 1 April 2020.

2.    To continue the Exceptional Hardship Scheme in 2021/22.

The following motions have been submitted by members under council procedure rule 13:-

Motion submitted by Councillor Shuttleworth:

“Eastbourne Borough Council calls upon Brighton and Hove City Council to end their policy of placing large numbers of homeless people into emergency accommodation in Eastbourne over recent months.

Apart from the detrimental effect on those people who are placed so far from their support services, the policy has impacted significantly upon local health, housing, police, adult social care, children’s and other support services.

Brighton and Hove City Council must find alternative accommodation in Brighton using the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government funding provided to the City Council for this purpose.”

Councillor Shuttleworth moved and Councillor di Cara seconded a motion set out in the agenda in respect of use of emergency accommodation in Eastbourne by Brighton and Hove City Council.

The four public statements received from Christina Ewbank (Eastbourne Chamber of Commerce), Luke Johnson (Your Eastbourne BID),

Kris Hayter (The Eastbourne Hospitality Association) and Heidi Lane (Proprietor of the Crown and Anchor Pub) were read out by the Senior Committee Officer.

The motion was debated in full and received support from across the Council.  Councillors expressed concerns not only to impact of the policy on Eastbourne area and businesses, but as to human cost to those who were vulnerable and often in need of specialist support, being placed outside their area and support networks. 

In response to a request from Councillor Ansell, Councillor Shuttleworth agreed to include in the letter to Brighton and Hove Council a request for it to share with Eastbourne Borough Council its plans to discontinue the current practice of out of area placements of this sort, and also advise how it would be returning those placed into temporary accommodation in Eastbourne back to the Brighton and Hove area as soon as possible.

It was noted that a dedicated Scrutiny meeting had been set up on this issue, and representatives of Brighton and Hove City Council would be invited to participate in a discussion on this matter.

The motion was put to the Council and approved unanimously.

Resolved that –

 “Eastbourne Borough Council calls upon Brighton and Hove City Council to end its policy of placing large numbers of homeless people into emergency accommodation in Eastbourne over recent months.

Apart from the detrimental effect on those people who are placed so far from their support services, the policy has impacted significantly upon local health, housing, police, adult social care, children’s and other support services.

Brighton and Hove City Council must find alternative accommodation in Brighton using the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government funding provided to the City Council for this purpose.”

To agree the proposed Calendar of Meetings for 2021/22. 

Please note: The Council dates will be subject to final approval at the annual meeting of the Council, in accordance with legislation.

The Council received the proposed Calendar of Meetings for 2021/22 and noted that this would be formally ratified at the Annual Council meeting on 19 May 2021.

Councillor Smart asked for an additional Council meeting to be added to the calendar in September to consider any revised budget arising from the external assurance review required by Government as part of its capitalisation direction.  Councillor Belsey asked for written response as to why the Council had reduced from five to four meetings a year. A request was also made to consider if the dates of Scrutiny Committee and Cabinet in February could be moved to enable the minutes to be reported in full to the February Council meeting.

Councillor Tutt advised he was happy to discuss any necessary changes with Officers and Councillor Smart outside the meeting.  He confirmed that the move to reduce the number of Council from 5 to 4 a year was agreed cross-party a few years ago and resolved by Full Council.    

Resolved –

1.    To note the proposed Calendar of Meetings for 2021/22;

2.    For Group Leaders to discuss the need for any adjustments to the Calendar of Meetings 2021/22 with Officers, ahead of it being brought back for approval to the Annual Council Meeting.

Report of the Leader on three Cabinet Member decisions made under special urgency powers during the last three months and reported in accordance with Section 17.3 of the Council’s Access to Information Procedures Rules.  Copies of the decision notices for the following matters are attached for information:

·        Local Restrictions Support Grants – 12 November 2020

·        Additional Restrictions Grant Scheme – 19 November 2020

·        Local Restrictions Support Grant 'Open' - 2 December onwards – 23 December 2020

The Council formally noted the three decisions made by the Leader under special urgency powers since the last meeting in relation to approval of and granting of delegated authority in respect of the Grants Schemes (made on 12 November 2020, 19 November 2020 and 23 December 2020).  These were reported to the Council in accordance with the Council’s Procedure Rules. 

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 Head of Democratic Services no later than 10.00 am on the day of the meeting. 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 the meeting for information:

Audit and Governance Committee – 26 November 2020

Cabinet – 4 November 2020, 2 December 2020

Licensing Committee – 18 January 2021

Planning Committee – 20 October 2020, 24 November 2020, 15 December 2020, 26 January 2021.

Scrutiny Committee – 2 November 2020

None of the minutes had been reserved for discussion.

Resolved (unanimously) – That the minutes of the above council bodies be noted.

The next meeting of Full Council is scheduled to take place on 19 May 2021 at 6 pm.

It was noted that the next meeting of Full Council was scheduled to take place on Wednesday 19 February 2021 at 6 pm.