Agenda and minutes

The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Morris started the meeting in order to undertake the first item of business.

It was proposed by Councillor Collins and seconded by Councillor Sayers-Cooper that Councillor Candy Vaughan be re-elected as the Mayor for the municipal year 2023/24.

It was accordingly:-

RESOLVED (unanimously) – That Councillor Candy Vaughan be elected Mayor for the 2043/25 municipal year and until the election of the Mayor at the next Annual Meeting of the Council.

Councillor Vaughan then signed her statutory declaration of acceptance of office as Mayor and took the chair.  In her speech of acceptance, the Mayor advised that she would be raising money for two charities in 2024/25 which would be the Chaseley Trust and The Leaf Hall Disability Access Fund.

It was proposed by Councillor Maxted and seconded by Councillor Parker that Councillor Amanda Morris be appointed as Deputy Mayor for the municipal year 2024/25.

RESOLVED (by 16 votes for, 0 against and 7 abstentions)– That Councillor Amanda Morris be appointed as Deputy Mayor for the 2023/24 municipal year.

Councillor Morris then made the statutory declaration of acceptance of office as Deputy Mayor.  In her speech of acceptance, the Deputy Mayor advised that Nick Reynolds would act as her consort for the year, and her daughter, Sophia Morris, who would accompany her to events when her official consort was unavailable.

The Head of Democratic Services advised that apologies had been received from Councillors Bannister, Butcher, Smart and Williams.

There were no declarations of interest.

Councillor di Cara moved and Councillor Goodyear seconded an amendment to correct minute 54, which had been circulated in advance of the meeting.

The minutes incorporating this amendment were put to the Council and approved as a correct record.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 23 February 2024 be confirmed and signed as a correct record, subject to the following change to a section of minute 54 (Motion – Gaza Conflict):

“The motion was debated by the Council.  The proposals to better support and facilitate events for people of all faiths and none, and to offer support to any local resident who needs our assistance as a result of these violent events (as set out in recommendations 1 and 2), were supported across the Council. However, some Councillors indicated that they could not support the call on Government for the end to the conflict and whether it should be the subject of an Eastbourne Council motion .However, the Opposition Members advised that whilst deploring all loss of life and freedom whether in Israel, Gaza, Ukraine, UK or elsewhere, they did not believe that this was the appropriate forum for proposing political solutions to such international issues. They indicated that they would abstain on the motion but could have supported recommendations 1 and 2”.

The Mayor reported that her daughter, Cristy Foster, would act as the Mayor’s consort for the 2024/25 municipal year. 

The Mayor reported that Father Danny Pegg would serve as the Mayor’s Chaplain for the municipal year 2024/25.

For the Mayor to provide any announcements.  

The Mayor advised that she had had a brilliant year, and had been able to attend 270 engagements, with the recent highlight of her and the deputy mayor attending the Buckingham Palace Garden Party.

Note: The election of Leader of the Council took place at the Annual Meeting on 24 May 2023. The Leader was appointed to a 4-year term of office.

Leader of the Council to report:

(a) Any changes in respect to the names of those Councillors serving on the Cabinet and the Councillor appointed as Deputy Leader of the Council (and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet) and the respective areas of responsibility for each member of the Cabinet.

(b) That the terms of reference and constitution of the Cabinet be as set out in the Council’s Constitution.

(c) To confirm if any delegations to individual Cabinet members in respect of executive functions have been made at this time.

Councillor Holt, as Leader of the Council, thanked Cabinet Members for their work over the last year and highlighted their individual achievements. He advised that the Councillors appointed to the Cabinet for 2024/25 were as follows:

·        Leader of the Council (Community Strategy, Local Strategic Partnership, the Corporate Plan, Performance and Staff) - Councillor Stephen Holt

·        Deputy Leader (Tourism, Leisure, Accessibility and Community Safety) – Councillor Margaret Bannister

·        Finance – Councillor Daniel Butcher

·        Housing and Homelessness – Councillor Peter Diplock

·        Carbon Neutral 2030 and Water Champion – Councillor Jim Murray

·        Enterprise, Community Spaces and Planning – Councillor Colin Swansborough

·        Heritage, Culture and Seafront – Councillor Jenny Williams.

In addition, Councillor Holt confirmed that the terms of reference and constitution of the Cabinet were as set out in the Council’s Constitution and were unchanged, and that delegations to individual Cabinet members in respect of executive functions had not been made at this time. 

To consider the report of the Head of Democratic Services.

The Council considered the report of the Head of Democratic Services, setting out political balance and the allocation of seats on Committees and Other Bodies prepared in consultation with Group Leaders.

Councillor Holt proposed and Councillor di Cara seconded the recommendations set out in the report and appendices.

RESOLVED (unanimously):

1.    To approve the proposed number and allocation of seats and nominations as set out in Minute Appendix 1, to Committees, Other Bodies and Outside Bodies, and to Chairs and Deputy Chairs.

2.    That the continuation of the following bodies be confirmed with terms of reference as set out in the Council’s Constitution, and that they have a fixed membership or to which members are appointed by the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive or relevant Director as the need arises: Equality Steering Group, Council Panels, Recruitment Panels, Task Groups and Project Boards.

3.    That Neal Robinson and Paul Cummins be re-confirmed as the Council’s Standards Independent Persons until their tenure ends on 31 July 2027.

4.    To approve the Scheme of Delegations to Officers and Proper Officer functions as set out in the relevant sections of the Council’s Constitution.

5.    To delegate to the Head of Democratic Services to resolve in consultation with Group Leaders any vacant appointments.

To ratify the Calendar of Meetings of 2025/26 as attached.  This is as approved at Full Council in February subject to the following changes:

-       Full Council – to add an additional reserve date for Full Council on 11 September 2024 to be used only if there is substantial business referred from Cabinet or another Committee for decision.

-       Conservation Advisory Group – has been moved from 28 May to 11 June 2024 in agreement with the Chair.

-       Licensing Committee – 24 June 2024 – There is currently no normal business for this meeting, so unless any urgent matter arises, this date will be used for licensing member training only.

Councillor Holt moved and Councillor di Cara seconded the ratification of the Calendar of Meetings for 2024/25, as set out on the agenda.

RESOLVED (unanimously) – That the Calendar of Meetings for 2024/25 be approved.

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.

Moving into the Full Council section of the meeting, the Mayor confirmed there was no need to change the order of business.

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.

There were no requests from the public to speak.

To consider the report of the Director for Tourism, Culture and Organisational Development.

The Council received the report of the Director of Tourism, Culture and Organisational Development, presenting the Pay Policy Statement for the financial year 2024/25 for approval by the Council.  

Councillor Holt moved and Councillor di Cara seconded the recommendations set out in the report.

RESOLVED (unanimously) – That the Council approves and recommends the updated Pay Policy Statement for publication on the Council’s website.

To consider the report of the Chief Executive.

The Council considered the report of the Chief Executive, recommending the

Approval of Eastbourne Borough Council Licensing Policy 2024-2029 following a consultation period.

The recommendations set out in the report were moved by Councillor Morris (as Chair of Licensing Committee) and seconded by Councillor Sayers-Cooper.

RESOLVED (unanimously) – To approve the updated Licensing Policy 2024-2029 following a consultation period

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:

Scrutiny Committee – 5 February 2024

Planning Committee – 26 February 2024 and 18 March 2024

Audit and Governance Committee – 11 March 2024

Cabinet – 20 March 2024

No items were called for discussion. 

Councillor Holt moved and Councillor di Cara seconded acceptance of the minutes.

RESOLVED (unanimously) – That the minutes be accepted.

The next meeting of Full Council is scheduled to take place at 6 pm on 17 July 2024.

It was noted that the date of the next meeting was scheduled to take place on 17 July 2024 at 6 pm.