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Lewes and Eastbourne
Councils

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Court Room, Eastbourne Town Hall, Grove Road, Eastbourne, BN21 4UG.

Contact: Committee Services on 01273 471600. 

Items
No. Item

16.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 180 KB

To confirm and sign the minutes of the previous meeting held on 10 July 2023 (attached herewith).

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 July 2023 were submitted and approved, and the Chair was authorised to sign them as a correct record.

17.

Apologies for absence/Declaration of substitute members

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Wendy Maples and Colin Swansborough. It was declared that Councillor Paul Keene would be acting as Substitute for Councillor Maples for the duration of the meeting.

18.

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.

Minutes:

There were none.

19.

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.

Minutes:

There were none.

20.

Verbal update from Director of Tourism, Culture and Organisational Development

Minutes:

The Committee received a verbal update from the Director of Tourism, Culture and Organisational Development and Head of HR in respect of various initiatives across Lewes District and Eastbourne Borough Councils.

The Director highlighted the All-Staff Conference which was being held in November 2023 and noted that staff had shared excitement about the event. She explained that there would be six interactive sessions over a span of two days, each two hours long, with various activities and raffle prizes for staff.

Further discussions included the Council’s new intranet hub which launched in July 2023, the Council’s new public website project and making the new public website more user-friendly and accessible for residents.

Resolved: That the verbal update by noted.

 

21.

Exclusion of the public and press

To consider, under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), excluding the public and press from the meeting during the discussion of Items 7, 8, 9, and 10 on this agenda as there are likely to be disclosures of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2 and 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

Minutes:

Resolved:

 

That, in accordance with Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), the public and press be excluded from the meeting during the discussion of items 7, 8, 9 and 10 on the agenda as there was likely to be disclosures of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2 and 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

22.

Health and Safety Quarterly Accident report - Quarter 1 2023/24

Report of Health and Safety Team

Minutes:

The Committee received a presentation from the Health and Safety Manager (HSM) in respect of key aspects of health and safety matters across Eastbourne Borough and Lewes District Councils.

 

Discussions included accident trends and available data in relation to reported accidents.

 

Resolved: That the presentation be noted.

23.

Sickness Absence Quarter 1 2023/24

Report of Head of HR

Minutes:

The Committee received the Officer’s report which provided an update regarding the Councils’ sickness figures for the period Quarter 1 (1 April to 30 June 2023) and outlined the way in which the figures were presented for both Lewes District Council and Eastbourne Borough Council.

 

Resolved:

 

That the Quarter 1 (1 April to 30 June 2023) sickness figures and the way in which the figures were presented for both Lewes District Council and Eastbourne Borough Council, be noted.

24.

Consideration of matters raised by the employees' side

To consider any matters raised by the employees' side in respect of the items on this agenda.

Minutes:

Queries were raised by the employees’ side in relation to office space in Lewes town and the removal of gym facilities at Saxon House in Newhaven.

 

The Chief Executive (CE) confirmed that work was currently being done at 6 High Street, Lewes, in relation to expanding available office space for staff. He further confirmed that the closure of the gym facilities at Saxon House had been outside the Council’s control and that due to low usage, the decision was made by East Sussex Fire and Rescue to close the gym facilities.

 

There were no additional matters raised by the employees’ side over and above those which had been recorded in the minutes of the meeting.

 

25.

Consideration of health and safety matters raised by the employees' side

To consider any matters raised by the employees' side in respect of health and safety.

Minutes:

There were no additional health and safety matters raised by the employees’ side over and above those which had been recorded in the minutes of the meeting.

26.

Date of next meeting

To note that the next meeting of the Joint Staff Advisory Committee is scheduled to commence at 2:30pm on Monday, 4 December 2023, in Room 209/210 on the Second Floor, The Marine Workshops, Railway Quay, Newhaven, East Sussex, BN9 0ER.

Minutes:

It was noted that the next meeting of the Joint Staff Advisory Committee was scheduled to commence at 2:30pm on Monday, 4 December 2023, in Room 209/210 on the Second Floor, The Marine Workshops, Railway Quay, Newhaven, East Sussex, BN9 0ER.