The Chairman was authorised to sign the minutes of the Council meeting held on 4 May 2021 as a correct record of the proceedings.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors J. Barnes (MBE), Mrs M.L. Barnes, R.K. Bird, J.H.F. Brewerton, Mrs V. Cook, Mrs D.C. Earl-Williams, Mrs E.M. Kirby-Green and G.F. Stevens.

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:

Courtel            Agenda Item 10 – Personal Interest as the Council’s appointed representative on Hastings Furniture Service. 

Drayson           Agenda Item 10 – Personal Interest as a Trustee of the Bexhill Trust and a member of Bexhill Town Council.

Maynard          Agenda Item 11 – Personal Interest as the lead Member for Adult Social Care and Health on East Sussex County Council.

Thomas           Agenda Item 10 – Personal Interest as a member of Bexhill Town Council.

Having welcomed Councillor Hacking at the start of the meeting, the Chairman paid tribute to her predecessor, Councillor Sally-Ann Hart who, when COVID restrictions allowed, resigned her position on this Council to concentrate on her new role as Member of Parliament for Hastings and Rye.  Councillor Hart was first elected in 2015 and during that Administration was Cabinet Member for Tourism and Culture.  After her re-election in 2019 she continued to make valuable contributions to the workings of this Council especially as a member of the Licensing and General Purposes Committee, where the Chairman found her wise counsel invaluable and he wished her well in her role as MP.

Since the last meeting on 4 May, in addition to the Council’s own By Election in Eastern Rother, there were elections for the Police and Crime Commissioner, East Sussex County Council and the new Bexhill Town Council.  If you believed in the democratic process and felt that people should exercise their vote it was only right that they had a proper choice of candidates. Therefore, in addition to offering his congratulations to the successful candidates he thanked those who stood for election as without them there would have been no choice.

The slow return to normality continued and as a community the residents and businesses of Rother had and were continuing to do what was asked of them by central Government.

A key aspect of recovery seemed to be the general health and fitness of the population and the Chairman was pleased to say that the official visits he had made since the last meeting had all resulted from contributions made by Active Rother through the Council’s tireless workhorse Adrian Gaylon.

Over the Bank Holiday Weekend, Bowls England ran another campaign to introduce people to the sport. On the Monday, the Chairman visited both Bowls clubs that shared the Council’s greens in The Polegrove. The Bexhill Bowling Club and The Polegrove Bowls Club attracted large numbers of interested people who were given a taste of bowling by club volunteers. Anyone signing up for membership over that weekend were able to have their first month’s greens’ fee paid for them.

At the end of the that week, Friday 4 June, the Chairman joined the Mayor of Battle and the Head of Battle4Tennis as a new Tennis Wall was opened in the courts at Battle Recreation Ground.  The Chairman was impressed with the facilities that been brought together in this wonderful public space through the efforts, contributions and support of both this Council and Battle Town Council and of course the individuals and groups that made use of them.

On Saturday 5 June, the Chairman was able to meet with a committed group of beginners who had been introduced to the joys of running by the Council’s own Planning Officer, Jeff Pyrah through the Rye Runners. Jeff and his team made the Chairman very welcome but unfortunately as he had forgot to take along his running shoes, he was unable to join in.  ...  view the full minutes text for item C21/24.

24 May 2021

·         Private Sector Leasing Scheme (CB21/04)

28 June 2021

·         Caravan Sites Fit and Proper Person Fees Policy 2021 (CB21/12)

·         Financial Assistance Policy 2021-2025 (Disabled Facilities Grants) (CB21/13)

·         Protecting Discretionary Services Strategy (CB21/14)

·         Corporate Plan Consultation Response and Corporate Programme 2020-2027 (CB21/15)

·         Council Restructure (CB21/16)

1.     It was moved by Councillor Oliver and seconded that the reports of the meetings of the Cabinet held on 24 May 2021 and 28 June 2021, as set out in the Agenda be approved and adopted.

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

            28 June – CB21/15 and CB21/16

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 minutes reserved for discussion:

CB21/04          – Private Sector Leasing Scheme

CB21/12          – Caravan Sites Fit and Proper Person Fees Policy 2021

CB21/13          – Financial Assistance Policy 2021-2025 (Disabled Facilities Grants)

            CB21/14          – Protecting Discretionary Services Strategy

CB21/15 – CORPORATE PLAN CONSULTATION RESPONSE AND CORPORATE PROGRAMME 2020-2027

CB21/16 – COUNCIL RESTRUCTURE

RESOLVED: That Minutes CB21/15 and CB21/16 be approved and adopted, as submitted.

in accordance with paragraph 17a of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules and paragraph 4 of the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules, of any urgent decisions taken at the Cabinet meetings held on 24 May and 28 June 2021.

It was moved by Councillor Oliver and seconded that the report of the Chief Executive, detailing the executive decision taken by Cabinet as a matter of urgency at its meeting held on 28 June 2021 be received.

RESOLVED: That the report be received.

It was moved by Councillor Oliver and seconded that the report of the Returning Officer on the results of the by-election for Eastern Rother held on 6 May be received.

RESOLVED: That the report be received.

RESOLVED: That:

1)    subject to mutual agreement between the Trustees of The Bexhill Trust and Bexhill Town Council, responsibility for making appointments to The Bexhill Trust pass to Bexhill Town Council from Rother District Council with immediate effect, pursuant to a community governance agreement under Section 99 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 and the Charity Trustees under Section 297 of the Charities Act 2011;

2)    subject to the approval of 1) above The Bexhill Trust be removed from the list of outside bodies to which this Council appoints;  

3)    Members be reminded of the need to report annually via the Members’ Bulletin on the outside bodies to which they are appointed; and

4)    appointments be made to the following outside bodies for a term of one year except where stated otherwise, and attendance be designated as an approved duty:

5)    the following reserved appointments be confirmed, as indicated:

“Rother District Council resolves to make an official application to join the UK Network of Age Friendly Communities. This will be a first step in its commitment towards joining the World Health Organisation Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities and for Councillor Clark, as the Spokesperson for Older Persons, to have the initial task of taking forward Age-Friendly Communities in Rother.”

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12 consideration was given to the following Motion for Council; it was moved by Councillor Clark and seconded by Councillor Prochak that:

“Rother District Council resolves to make an official application to join the UK Network of Age Friendly Communities. This will be a first step in its commitment towards joining the World Health Organisation Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities and for Councillor Clark, as the Spokesperson for Older Persons, to have the initial task of taking forward Age-Friendly Communities in Rother.”

RESOLVED: That the Motion on being put was declared CARRIED.