Agenda and minutes

1.1        Cllr Wickremaratchi, the Vice-Chairman of the Council, took the chair for the election of Chairman of the County Council.

To elect a Chairman of the County Council for the ensuing year (the Chairman to make a declaration of acceptance of office).

2.1        The Vice-Chairman stated that he had one nomination for the office of Chairman of the Council, that of Cllr Pete Bradbury. Cllr Bradbury was elected Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.

2.2        Cllr Bradbury made the prescribed declaration of acceptance of office and took the chair.

To elect a Vice-Chairman of the County Council for the ensuing year (the Vice-Chairman to make a declaration of acceptance of office).

3.1        The Chairman stated that he had one nomination for the office of Vice-Chairman of the Council, that of Cllr Sujan Wickremaratchi. Cllr Wickremaratchi was elected Vice-Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.

3.2        Cllr Wickremaratchi made the prescribed declaration of acceptance of office.

4.1        The Chairman reported the deaths of Mr Graham Forshaw, a former Leader of the County Council who had represented the Goring division from 1977 to 2001, and of Mr Brian Fieldhouse, who had been the Council’s Treasurer from 1974 to 1990and Chief Executive from 1990 to 1995.

4.2        Members observed a minute’s silence in memory of Mr Forshaw and Mr Fieldhouse.

5.1        The Chairman presented a small memento to Cllr Nigel Dennis to mark his 30 years’ service to the County Council.

6.1        Apologies were received from Cllr Albury, Cllr Baldwin, Cllr Evans, Cllr Gibson, Cllr McDonald, Cllr McGregor, Cllr Mitchell, Cllr Nagel, Cllr Pendleton, Cllr Wall and Cllr Walsh.

6.2        Apologies for the afternoon session were received from Cllr Condie, Cllr Dunn and Cllr Joy. Cllr Richardson was absent for the afternoon session.

6.3        Cllr N Jupp arrived for the afternoon session at 2.20 pm. Cllr Elkins, Cllr Oppler and Cllr Kenyon left at 2.20 pm, 3.10 pm and 3.20 pm respectively.

Members are asked to disclose any pecuniary or personal interests in matters appearing on the agenda.

7.1        Members declared interests as set out at Appendix 1.

The Council is asked to confirm the minutes of the ordinary meeting of the County Council held on 17 February 2023.

8.1        It was agreed that the minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the County Council held on 17 February 2023 (pages 7 to 20) be approved as a correct record, subject to the addition of Cllr Wild to the attendance list.

To receive the County Returning Officer’s return of the by-election held on 4 May 2023 for the East Grinstead Meridian electoral division.

9.1        The Council received the County Returning Officer’s return of the by-election on 4 May 2023 for the county councillor for the East Grinstead Meridian electoral division (page 21).

The County Council has a statutory duty to review the proportionality on its committees each year and must do so following the recent by-election. An explanation of the proportionality rules and how they are applied is attached. A table showing the number of seats on committees will follow.

10.1     The County Council noted its statutory duty to review the proportionality on its committees each year and following the recent by-election. A paper on the application of the proportionality rules and how they were applied was set out on page 3 and a table showing the number of seats on committees had been circulated.

10.2     Resolved –

That the review of proportionality on committees be approved.

The Leader is required each year to give notice to the Council of his appointments to the Cabinet and allocation of Cabinet portfolios between the cabinet members, together with the appointment of advisers to cabinet members.

11.1     The County Council was reminded that the Leader was required each year to give notice to the Council of his appointments to the Cabinet and allocation of Cabinet portfolios between the cabinet members, together with the appointment of advisers to cabinet members.

11.2     The Council noted that Cllr Marshall had given notice to the County Council of his appointments for the ensuing year, as set out on pages 25 to 30.

Following the review of proportionality and in the light of the Leader’s notification at item 8, to appoint members of non-Executive committees, to appoint the chairmen, vice-chairmen, panels and substitutes of those committees in accordance Standing Order 2.10 and to appoint the members of scrutiny committees (the chairmen and vice-chairmen will be appointed at the next meeting of each scrutiny committee). The appointments will take effect from the end of the meeting.

12.1     A schedule setting out the nominations for the re-appointment of the members of non-Executive committees, the chairmen, vice-chairmen, panels and substitutes of those committees and the members of Scrutiny Committees was circulated. Members were reminded that appointments of the chairmen and vice-chairmen of Scrutiny Committees will be dealt with at the next round of committees in the usual way.

12.2     The schedule was agreed as set out at Appendix 2.

The Council is asked to approve an appointment to fill a vacancy for an independent member on the Independent Remuneration Panel, in the light of a report by the Chairman of the Standards Committee.

13.1     The Council approved an appointment to fill a vacancy for an Independent Member to the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) and agreed to appoint Mr Donaldson for a third term, in the light of a report by the Chairman of the Standards Committee (supplement page 11).

13.2     Resolved - 

(1)         That Mr John Donaldson be appointed for a third term as a member of the West Sussex IRP, from October 2023 to October 2027; and

(2)         That Dr John Godfrey, DL, be appointed for a first term as a member of the West Sussex IRP, from October 2023 to October 2027.

The Council is asked to consider the outcome of the five-yearly assessment of the Joint Minerals Local Plan and agree that a formal review, either in whole or in part, is not required, in the light of a report by the Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change.

14.1     The Council considered the outcome of the five-yearly assessment of the Joint Minerals Local Plan on whether a formal review, either in whole or in part, is required, in the light of a report by the Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change (pages 31 to 32 and supplement pages 1 to 40).

14.2     An amendment to the recommendation was moved by Cllr O’Kelly and seconded by Cllr Condieas set out below.

‘Recommended

That the Joint Minerals Local Plan is still relevant and effective and does not need to be formally reviewed, in whole or in partbe further assessed for the need for formal review to ensure it is aligned with this Council’s Climate Change Strategy and that the assessment is brought to a future meeting of the Council for decision.’

14.3     The amendment was lost.

14.4     Resolved –

That the Joint Minerals Local Plan is still relevant and effective and does not need to be formally reviewed, in whole or in part.

The Council is asked to consider and comment on the recently published Inspecting Local Authority Children's Services Report, in the light of a report by the Leader and the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Learning and Skills.

15.1     The Council considered the recently published Inspecting Local Authority Children’s Services Report, in the light of a report by the Leader and the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Learning and Skills (pages 33 to 60).

15.2     Resolved –

That the report be noted.

Following a one-year trial, the Council is asked to consider adding Health and Wellbeing Board meetings to the list of meetings in Standing Orders where there is a presumption that they will be webcast, in the light of a report by the Governance Committee.

16.1     Following a one-year trial, the Council considered a recommendation to add Health and Wellbeing Board meetings to the list of meetings in Standing Orders where there is a presumption that they will be webcast, in the light of a report by the Governance Committee (page 61).

16.2     Revolved –

That Health and Wellbeing Board meetings be added to the list of meetings in Standing Orders where there is a presumption that they will be webcast.

To note urgent action taken under regulation 11 of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.

17.1     The report of urgent action taken under regulation 11 of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 (pages 63 and 64) was noted.

Questions to the Leader and Cabinet Members on matters in the Cabinet report, written questions and any other questions relevant to their portfolios. Members may also ask questions of the Leader on anything current, relevant to the County Council. The report covers portfolio-related business since the meeting of the Council on 17 February 2023. A supplementary report may be published.

(2 hours is allocated for Question Time)

18.1     Members asked questions of members of the Cabinet on matters relevant to their portfolios and asked questions of chairmen, as set out at Appendix 4. This included questions on those matters contained within the Cabinet report (pages 65 to 72) and written questions and answers pursuant to Standing Order 2.38 (set out at Appendix 3).

To debate the following motion, submitted by Cllr Greenway, notice of which was given on 9 May 2023.

‘West Sussex County Council recognises the importance of making defibrillators accessible and having them registered, especially in public places, sports grounds and Government-funded facilities.

This Council understands the role that it has in facilitating the delivery of new defibrillators across West Sussex.

The Council supports and welcomes the planned rollout of defibrillators by the Government to all state-funded schools that currently do not have one, with over 20,000 expected to be delivered to 18,000 schools by the end of the academic year.

This Council asks the Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing to:

(1)        Commit to working with the local community to find suitable places to place defibrillators, acknowledging that they are most effective within three minutes of a person collapsing, and to support finding funding for defibrillators in public places and community spaces;

(2)        Seek to register defibrillators held within County Council facilities with ‘The Circuit’, The National Defibrillator Network, supported by the British Heart Foundation;

(3)        Encourage schools to also register their government-funded defibrillator; and

(4)        Promote via the Council’s publications (including on social media) the benefits of having a defibrillator in the community and explaining how they can be used in an emergency situation.’

19.1     The following motion was moved by Cllr Greenwayand seconded by Cllr Cooper.

          ‘West Sussex County Council recognises the importance of making defibrillators accessible and having them registered, especially in public places, sports grounds and Government-funded facilities.

This Council understands the role that it has in facilitating the delivery of new defibrillators across West Sussex.

The Council supports and welcomes the planned rollout of defibrillators by the Government to all state-funded schools that currently do not have one, with over 20,000 expected to be delivered to 18,000 schools by the end of the academic year.

This Council asks the Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing to:

(1)         Commit to working with the local community to find suitable places to place defibrillators, acknowledging that they are most effective within three minutes of a person collapsing, and to support finding funding for defibrillators in public places and community spaces;

(2)         Seek to register defibrillators held within County Council facilities with ‘The Circuit’, The National Defibrillator Network, supported by the British Heart Foundation;

(3)         Encourage schools to also register their government-funded defibrillator; and

(4)         Promote via the Council’s publications (including on social media) the benefits of having a defibrillator in the community and explaining how they can be used in an emergency situation.’

19.2     The Cabinet Member for Finance and Property agreed to ask Facilities Management to look at the possibility of re-siting any defibrillators currently inside County Council premises to the outside of the building so they are accessible at all times.

19.3     The motion was carried unanimously.