Agenda and minutes

The Chairman was authorised to sign the minutes of the Council meetings held on 6 July and 18 August 2020 as correct records of the proceedings.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors K.M. Harmer and A.K. Jeeawon.

To receive any disclosure by Members of personal and disclosable pecuniary interests in matters on the agenda, the nature of any interest and whether the Member regards the personal interest as prejudicial under the terms of the Code of Conduct.  Members are reminded of the need to repeat their declaration immediately prior to the commencement of the item in question.

Declarations of interest were made by Councillors in the Minutes as indicated below:

Barnes, J       Agenda Item 7 – Personal Interests in CB20/18 and CB20/43 as        a non-executive Member of East Sussex County Council and as a Director of Alliance Homes (Rother) Ltd respectively.

Bayliss           Agenda Item 7 – Personal Interest in CB20/41 as a former member of Democracy4Bexhill and supporter of a Town Council for Bexhill-on-Sea.

Byrne Agenda Item 7 – Personal Interest in CB20/41 as a former member of Democracy4Bexhill and supporter of a Town Council for Bexhill-on-Sea.

Clark   Agenda Item 7 – Personal Interests in CB20/18 and CB20/43 as a non-executive Member of East Sussex County Council and as a Director of Alliance Homes (Rother) Ltd respectively.

Coleman        Agenda Item 7 – Personal Interest in CB20/41 as a former member of Democracy4Bexhill and supporter of a Town Council for Bexhill-on-Sea.

Courtel           Agenda Item 7 – Personal Interest in CB20/41 as a former member of Democracy4Bexhill and supporter of a Town Council for Bexhill-on-Sea.

Earl-Williams Mrs     Agenda Item 7 – Personal Interest in CB20/18 as a non-executive Member of East Sussex County Council.

Field   Agenda Item 7 – Personal Interest in CB20/18 as a non-executive Member of East Sussex County Council.

Gray    Agenda Item 7 – Personal Interest in CB20/41 as a former member of Democracy4Bexhill and supporter of a Town Council for Bexhill-on-Sea and CB20/42 as the Council’s appointed Member representative to the Rother District Citizens Advice.

Mr Johnston Agenda Item 9 – Personal and Prejudicial Interest in LG20/14 as an Executive Director affected by the senior staff restructuring proposals.

Langlands     Agenda Item 7 – Personal Interest in CB20/41 as a former member of Democracy4Bexhill and supporter of a Town Council for Bexhill-on-Sea.

Dr Leonard    Agenda Item 9 – Personal and Prejudicial Interest in LG20/14 as an Executive Director affected by the senior staff restructuring proposals.

Madeley         Agenda Item 7 – Personal Interest in CB20/41 as a former member of Democracy4Bexhill and supporter of a Town Council for Bexhill-on-Sea.

Maynard        Agenda Item 7 – Personal Interest in CB20/18 as an Executive Member of East Sussex County Council.

Oliver  Agenda Item 7 – Personal Interest in CB20/41 as a former member of Democracy4Bexhill and supporter of a Town Council for Bexhill-on-Sea.

Thomas          Agenda Item 7 – Personal Interest in CB20/43 as a Director of Alliance Homes (Rother) Ltd.

The Chairman made the following announcements:

1)            With sadness, the Chairman reported that former Councillor Joanne    

Gadd who served on the Council between May 1999 and May 2015 had recently passed away.  She was first elected to the Council in May 1999 and during her 16 years on the Council served on the Licensing and General Purposes, Planning and Overview Scrutiny Committees. She was Chairman of the Council in 2008/2009 and the Mayor of Bexhill on two occasions.  Councillors Mrs Earl-Williams, Johnson and Maynard each paid personal tribute and the Council gave thanks for the contribution she had made to Bexhill and the wider Rother District.

2)            The Chairman had managed to attend one virtual Parish Council

Meeting since the last meeting and that was Pett Parish Council in July.   The Chairman had hoped to be attending some in person but the possibility of a second spike in Coronavirus had made this even more unlikely in his year and so he hoped to be able to visit more remotely.

3)            On 4 August the Chairman joined in with the Heart of Sidley ‘virtual’

carnival procession where a small group of children’s entertainers walked around the streets of Sidley helped by The Bexhill Lions who gave out free gifts to children on the route. A marvellous idea that helped to fill the gap left by the cancellation of Bexhill Carnival. Unfortunately, it was hampered by the weather and out of the 5 planned Tuesdays, one was cancelled due to the mini heatwave and that rescheduled parade was then cancelled again along with another parade due to the wind and rain.

4)            The Chairman was able to join in with another ‘substitute’ event on 31 August, when the Bexhill 100 Motor Club, who were unable to hold their wonderful annual car show in The Polegrove took to the streets of Bexhill in a cavalcade of 50 of their classic cars. Had the show gone ahead it would have been their 16th and they were hopeful of breaking the £100,000 mark for their charity collections. The Chairman shuddered to think how much Rother charities had lost due to Coronavirus, but he was confident we would get back to some kind of normality by next year’s main fundraising season.            

5)            Friday 11 September marked the start of The Great British September Clean, alas even before last Monday’s tightening of the COVID-19 restrictions, it was almost impossible for environmental groups to hold organised litter picks across Rother so with his wife the Chairman went out on Day 1 onto the beach in Bexhill.  This particular initiative continued until next Sunday.    

6)            On Monday 14 September the Chairman accompanied the Mayor of Bexhill, Councillor Lynn Langlands as she presented The Bexhill Community Bus with the Bexhill Town Crest in recognition of their service to the community. The 13th September marked the 40th Anniversary of their first service.

7)            On Wednesday 16 September the Chairman was invited to mark the opening of the 2020/2021 Football Season by  ...  view the full minutes text for item C20/36.

27 July 2020

Ø  The Ravenside Gateway Roundabout Improvement Project (CB20/18)

Ø  Street Naming and Property Numbering Policy (CB20/19)

Ø  Consultation Report – Draft Rother District Council Environment Strategy (CB20/20)

7 September 2020

Ø  Bexhill Community Governance Review (CB20/41)

Ø  Rother District Citizens Advice (CB20/42)

Ø  Alliance Homes (Rother) Ltd, Business Plan (CB20/43)

Ø  Residential development at, Blackfriars, Battle (CB20/44) 

1.    It was moved by Councillor Oliver and seconded that the reports of the meetings of the Cabinet held on 27 July and 7 September 2020 as set out in the Agenda be approved and adopted.

2.    The Chairman of the Council having called over the reports, the following Minute was reserved for discussion:

           Cabinet 7 September 2020            CB20/41

3.    On the Motion of the Chairman of the Council, duly seconded, the Council approved and adopted the following reports, with the exception of the minute reserved for discussion:

           CB20/18 – The Ravenside Gateway Roundabout Improvement Project

           CB20/19 – Street Naming and Property Numbering Policy

           CB20/20 – Consultation Report – Draft Rother District Council Environment Strategy

           CB20/42 – Rother District Citizens Advice

           CB20/43 – Alliance Homes (Rother) Ltd, Business Plan

           CB20/44 – Residential development at, Blackfriars, Battle

Cabinet – 7 September 2020

CB20/41 – BEXHILL COMMUNITY GOVERNANCE REVIEW

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 17.5(a) a vote by roll call for the Motion was taken.

FOR the Motion (27): J. Barnes, Bayliss, Brewerton, Browne, Byrne, Clark, Coleman, Mrs V. Cook, Courtel, Curtis, Dixon, Drayson, Mrs Earl-Williams, Errington, Field, Gray, Langlands, Madeley, Mier, Rev. Norton, Oliver, Osborne, Prochak, Stevens, Thomas, Timpe and Vine-Hall.

AGAINST the Motion (6): Mrs M.L. Barnes, Carroll, Johnson, Mrs Kirby-Green, Maynard and Mooney.

ABSTENTIONS (1): Bird.

The Motion being put forward was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED: That

1)    a Parish Council be created for the whole of Bexhill-on-Sea, to be    styled a Town Council based on the existing Bexhill Ward External Boundary; 

2)    the Town Council to contain nine Wards, based on the 2019 District Ward Boundaries and that two Town Councillors be elected to each Ward, making a total of 18 Bexhill Town Councillors;

3)    the first elections be held in May 2021;

4)    the dissolution of the Bexhill Charter Trustees following the formation of the Bexhill Town Council be noted; and

5)    the consultation results be taken into account when the transfer of services / powers to Bexhill Town Council are discussed.

In accordance with paragraph 17a of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules and paragraph 4 of the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules, that there were no decisions taken as matters or urgency at the Cabinet meetings held on 27 July, 17 August and 7 September 2020.

It was moved by Councillor Oliver and seconded that it be noted that there were no executive decisions taken by Cabinet as matters of urgency at its meetings held on 27 July, 18 August and 7 September 2020 be received.

RESOLVED: That the report be received.

on matters for determination by full Council at its meetings held on 13 July and 3 September 2020 to include, as under:

13 July 2020

Ø  Temporary Street Closure Orders (LG20/06)

3 September 2020

Ø  Senior Staff Restructure (LG20/14)

1. It was moved by Councillor Mier, Chairman of the Licensing and General Purposes Committee, and seconded that the reports of the Licensing and General Purposes Committee held on 13 July and 3 September 2020 be approved and adopted.

2. The Chairman of the Council having called over the report, the following Minute was reserved for discussion:

Licensing and General Purposes 3 September 2020 – LGP20/14

3. On the Motion of the Chairman of the Council, duly seconded, the Council approved and adopted the following report, with the exception of the minute reserved for discussion:

LGP20/07 – Temporary Street Closure Orders

LGP20/14 – SENIOR STAFF RESTRUCTURE

It was moved by Councillor Field, and seconded that an additional recommendation be added to the resolution as follows:

9) Subject to being able to agree a mutually acceptable severance deal between the Council and one of the Executive Directors then the remaining Executive Director will become designate Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service from Monday 28 September when the new structure will commence.

RESOLVED: That Minute LGP20/14 be approved and adopted, as amended by the inclusion of the additional recommendation.

to receive the report of the Executive Director on changes to committee membership in respect of the Association of Independents Group.

Further to the appointments made to the Council’s Committees at the Annual Council meeting held on 22 May 2019 several changes were required to the Committee Membership in respect of the Association of Independent and Liberal Democrat Groups.

RESOLVED: That the Membership of each Committee be confirmed as follows for the remainder of the ensuing civic year:

Audit and Standards Committee

Councillors J. Barnes, Mrs M.L. Barnes, K.M. Harmer, A.K. Jeeawon, Mrs E.M. Kirby-Green, C.A. Madeley, H.J. Norton and R.B. Thomas.

Licensing and General Purposes Committee

Councillors R.K. Bird, G.S. Browne, T.J.C. Byrne, S. Coleman, G.C. Curtis, C.A. Madeley, K.M. Field, K.M. Harmer, Mrs S. Hart, A.S. Mier, R.B. Thomas and H.L. Timpe.

Substitutes: C.A. Bayliss, Mrs D.C. Earl-Williams, P.J. Gray and Mrs E.M. Kirby-Green.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Councillors J. Barnes, J.J. Carroll, C.A. Clark, Mrs V. Cook, P.C. Courtel, Mrs D.C. Earl-Williams, S.J. Errington, P.J. Gray, C.A. Madeley, C.R. Maynard, M. Mooney and P.N. Osborne.

Substitutes: S.J. Coleman, L.M. Langlands, G.F. Stevens and R.B. Thomas.

Planning Committee

Councillors Mrs M.L. Barnes, S.J. Coleman, G.C. Curtis, S.J. Errington, A.E. Ganly, K.M. Harmer, J.M. Johnson, C.A. Madeley, A.S. Mier, H.J. Norton, S.M. Prochak, G.F. Stevens, H.L. Timpe and J. Vine-Hall.

Substitutes: J. Barnes, P.C. Courtel, L.M. Langlands and R.B. Thomas.