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Lewes and Eastbourne
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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber at County Hall, St Annes Crescent, Lewes

Contact: Committee Services on 01273 471600 

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Items
No. Item

1.

Election of the Chair of the Council

The name(s) of the Councillor(s) who have been nominated for the office of Chair of the Council will be reported at the meeting.

 

Following the election of the Chair of the Council, and pursuant to the provisions of Section 83 of the Local Government Act 1972, the person elected to be Chair of the Council shall make a Declaration of Acceptance of Office in the prescribed form, before the Chief Executive.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Denis (Vice-Chair) opened the meeting and advised that he had been asked to preside for this item as the current Chair of the Council, Councillor Gauntlett, was a nominee.  Councillor Denis then invited Councillors to formally move the nominations received in advance of the meeting for Councillor Gauntlett and Councillor White.

 

Councillor MacCleary proposed and Councillor Banks seconded the nomination of Councillor Gauntlett to be elected as the Chair of the Council for 2019/20.

 

Councillor P Boorman proposed and Councillor Burman seconded the nomination of Councillor White to be elected as the Chair of the Council for 2019/20.

 

The two nominations were put to the vote and by 19 votes to 18 it was:

 

RESOLVED that Councillor Gauntlett be elected as the Chair of the Council for 2019/20.

 

Councillor Gauntlett then made the statutory declaration of acceptance of office as Chair of the Council and took the chair. 

 

In his speech of acceptance of his re-election, Councillor Gauntlett thanked the outgoing Vice-Chair Councillor Denis for his work over the last year.  He also thanked Caroline Hanlon (Civic and Member Services Officer) and Catherine Knight (Assistant Director, Legal and Democratic Services), in particular for their support and guidance, during the last year enabling him to fulfil his role as Chair of the Council. 

 

(Note: Councillor Carr arrived to the meeting at the end of the voting on this item)

2.

Appointment of the Vice-Chair of the Council

The name(s) of the Councillor(s) who have been nominated for the office of Vice-Chair of the Council will be reported at the meeting.

 

Following the appointment of the Vice-Chair of the Council, and pursuant to the provisions of Section 83 of the Local Government Act 1972, the person appointed to be Vice-Chair of the Council shall make a Declaration of Acceptance of Office in the prescribed form, before the Chief Executive.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair invited members to formally propose the nominations for Vice-Chair of the Council received in advance of the meeting for Councillor Adeniji and Councillor Ross.

 

Councillor Linington proposed and Councillor L Boormanseconded the nomination of Councillor Adeniji to be appointed as Vice-Chair of the Council for 2019/20.

 

Councillor Nicholson proposed and Councillor Denis seconded the nomination of Councillor Ross to be appointed as Vice-Chair of the Council for 2019/20.

 

The two nominations were put to the vote and by 21 votes to 18 it was:

 

RESOLVED that Councillor Ross be appointed as the Vice-Chair of the Council for 2019/20.

 

Councillor Ross then made the statutory declaration of acceptance of office as Vice-Chair.  

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 184 KB

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Council dated 25 February 2019.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 25 February 2019 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

4.

Apologies for absence

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Amy and Rutland.

5.

Declarations of Interest

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.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

No declarations of interest were made.

 

6.

Announcements pdf icon PDF 140 KB

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 previous meeting is enclosed.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council received a list of the Chair of the Council’s engagements carried out between 25 February 2019 and 20 May 2019.

 

7.

Urgent items

Items not on the agenda which the Chair of the meeting is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency by reason of special circumstances as defined in Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no urgent items.

8.

Returning Officer's Report pdf icon PDF 58 KB

To receive the report of the Chief Executive and Returning Officer.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair of the Council drew the Council’s attention to the report of the Chief Executive and Returning Officer informing the Council of the result of the elections held on 2 May 2019 and congratulated the returning and newly elected Councillors who would hold office until May 2023 as follows:

 

WARD

COUNCILLORS  (*newly elected)

 

ChaileyBarcombe and Hamsey

Sharon Davy

Isabelle Linnington

Ditchling and Westmeston

Tom Jones

East Saltdean and Telscombe Cliffs

Ron Maskell

Laurence O’Connor*

Christine Robinson*

Kingston

William Meyer*

Lewes Bridge

Zoe Nicholson*

Adrian Ross*

Lewes Castle

Roy Clay *

Milly Manley*

Lewes Priory

Mathew Bird*

Imogen Makepeace*

Ruth O’Keeffe

Newhaven North

Julie Carr

Steve Saunders

Newhaven South

Graham Amy

Christoph von Kurthy*

James Maccleary*

Newick

Roy Burman*

 

Ouse Valley and Ringmer

Johnny Denis

Sean Macleod*

Emily O’Brien*

Peacehaven East

Chris Collier*

Lynda Duhigg*

Peacehaven North

Phil Davis*

Keira Rigden*

Peacehaven West

Joe Miller*

Nicola Papanicolaou*

Plumpton Streat East Chiltington and St John Without

Robert Banks*

Seaford Central

Stephen Gauntlett

Geoff Rutland*

Seaford East

Phil Boorman*

Julian Peterson

Seaford North

Jim Lord*

Sylvia Lord*

Seaford South

Sam Adeniji

Christine Brett*

Seaford West

Liz Boorman

Ian White*

Wivelsfield

Nancy Bikson

 

Councillor Saunders moved and Councillor Denis seconded the recommendation to accept the report.

 

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

 

9.

Election of the Leader of Council, in accordance with Council Procedure Rules

To receive nominations and vote thereon.

 

(Note: The Leader is to be appointed to a 4-year term of office in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair invited nominations for the position of Leader of the Council.

 

Councillor O’Keeffe proposed and spoke to her nomination, and Councillor Ross seconded that Councillor Nicholson be elected as Leader of the Council.

 

Councillor L Boorman proposed and spoke to her nomination, and Councillor Miller seconded that Councillor Linington be elected as Leader of the Council.

 

Councillor Carr proposed and spoke to her nomination, and Councillor Banks seconded that Councillor MacCleary be elected as Leader of the Council.

 

The Council voted on the nominations in accordance with the Constitution Part 4, Procedure for Appointments paragraph 5.4.   All three nominations were put to the vote, and Councillor Linington received 18 votes, Councillor Nicholson 14 votes and Councillor MacCleary 7 votes.  As no candidate had received more than 50% of the total number of votes, Councillor MacCleary was eliminated from the contest as having received the lowest number of votes. 

 

The nominations for the remaining two candidates were put to the vote.  Councillor Nicholson received 14 votes, Councillor Linington received 18 votes and there were 7 abstentions.  

 

RESOLVED that Councillor Linington be elected to be Leader of the Council. 

10.

Appointments pdf icon PDF 83 KB

a)    To note the Leader of the Council’s appointments to Cabinet, the individual areas of responsibility allocated to the Cabinet and the allocation of those areas of responsibility to the members of the Cabinet. (To be reported verbally by the Leader of the meeting).

b)    To consider proposals for the appointment of members and chairs of committees and other council bodies.

c)    To consider proposals for the appointment of members to serve on outside and joint bodies.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Linington, thanked members for electing her as Leader of the Council and advised that she would continue to hold the ‘Environment Portfolio’ and that the following Councillors would be appointed as Cabinet Members:

 

Cabinet Member

Portfolio

Councillor J Miller

Deputy Leader

Regeneration and Growth

Councillor J Lord

Strategic Development

Councillor P Davis

Finance and Corporate

Councillor L Boorman

Communities and Partners

Councillor R Maskell

Housing

Councillor T Jones

Planning

 

The Chair of the Council drew the Councillors’ attention to the list of nominations tabled at the meeting for members and chairs of committees and other council bodies (Appendix 1) and outside bodies (Appendix 2) in accordance with proportionality of the Council.  Where there was more than one valid nomination for a position, the Assistant Director Legal and Democratic Services read out the nominations in turn to be voted upon.

 

It was confirmed that in the event of no valid nomination for chair or deputy chair of a Committee being received this position would fall to be appointed at the first meeting.  In addition, where any vacancies on any bodies after the meeting, the Assistant Director Legal and Democratic Services would seek nominations from the Group Leaders under political balance rules.

 

As the nomination for Councillor Ross to be the chair of the Audit and Standards Committee was withdrawn there were no disputed places in relation to Appendix 1 (Committees and Other Bodies).

 

In respect of Appendix 2 (Nominations for Outside Bodies and Joint Bodies) the following position where there was competing nominations was put to a vote:

 

Outside Body

Proposed Representative

Appointed.

3VA (1 rep)

Councillor Bird

Councillor Papanicolau

Councillor Gauntlett

Councillor Papanicolaou

 

Councillor Nicholson moved and Councillor Meyerseconded that the meeting be adjourned for 20 minutes until 7 pm to enable Councillors to have more time to consider Appendix 2, which had been tabled at the meeting.  This was put to the vote and declared carried.

 

Following resumption of the meeting the following positions where there were competing nominations were put to a vote:

 

Outside Body

Proposed Representative

Appointed

East Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board  (1 rep)

Councillor S Lord

Councillor Macleod

 

(the nomination for Councillor Brett was withdrawn)

Councillor Macleod

East Sussex Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (1  rep)

Councillor S Lord

Councillor Denis

Councillor Denis

Impact Seaford (1 rep)

Councillor J Lord

Councillor Brett

Councillor Brett

Lewes District Citizens Advice (1 rep)

Councillor L Boorman

Councillor Makepeace

Councillor Makepeace

Lewes Joint Parking Board (2 reps)

Councillor Makepeace

Councillor Clay

 

(the nomination for Councillor Banks was withdrawn)

Councillor Makepeace

Councillor Clay

 

(uncontested)

 

Seaford Head Local Nature Reserve Management Committee (1 rep)

Councillor J Lord

Councillor Brett

 

 

 

Councillor Brett

Seaford to Brighton Line Stakeholders Group (1 rep)

Councillor Adeniji

Councillor O’Brien

 

(the nomination for Councillor Brett  was withdrawn)

Councillor O’Brien

South Downs National Park Authority (1 rep)

Councillor Jones

Councillor Meyer

 

(the nomination for Councillor O’Brien  was withdrawn)

Councillor Meyer

Sussex Police and Crime Panel (1 rep and 1 substitute)

Representative:

Councillor  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

Substitute Members

To appoint all members of the Council to the “approved list” of members appointed to act as substitute members in accordance with Council Procedure Rules.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Gauntlett  moved and Councillor Denis seconded, and it was put to the vote and approved that:

 

RESOLVED – That all members of the Council be appointed to the “approved list” of members appointed as substitute members in accordance with Council procedure rules.

 

12.

Annual Pay Policy Statement pdf icon PDF 74 KB

To consider the report of the Assistant Director of Human Resources and Transformation.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor L Boorman moved and Councillor Maskell seconded and it was:

 

RESOLVED – That the Council notes and approves the updated Pay Policy Statement as set out in the report of the Assistant Director of Human Resources and Transformation.

13.

Recommendation from Licensing Committee - Approval of licensing fees 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 692 KB

To consider the recommendations from the Licensing Committee on 14 February 2019.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Adeniji moved and Councillor J Lord seconded and it was:

 

RESOLVED – To approve the scale of licensing fees set out in Appendix 1 to the recommendation from the Licensing Committee on 14 February 2019.

14.

Calendar of meetings pdf icon PDF 58 KB

The calendar of meetings for 2019/20 is attached for ratification.

 

Following the November 2018 Council meeting, the option of a fifth Council meeting on 25 September 2019 has been added to the calendar for 2019/20.  Council is asked to confirm if it wishes to include the additional September meeting in the calendar for 2019/20.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chairman drew members to the Calendar of Meetings tabled.

 

RESOLVED – To approve the Calendar of Meetings for 2019/20, subject to the inclusion of a fifth Council meeting per year to be held on 25th September 2019.

15.

Urgent decisions taken by the Cabinet or Cabinet Members, 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 25 February 2019 (if any).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no urgent decisions by Cabinet or Cabinet Members to report.