Decisions

27.1   The Council considered a proposal that the membership of Business Planning Groups should be amended to include the Vice-Chairman of the relevant Select Committee and suggested criteria for webcasting meetings in the light of a report from the Governance Committee (pages 49 to 54).

27.2  Resolved –

(1)     That the Constitution should require the Vice-Chairman of a Select Committee to be a member of its Business Planning Group and to be Vice-Chairman of this Group and that the Scheme of Delegation be amended accordingly, as set out at paragraph 4 to the report;

(2)     That there should be a presumption in favour of webcasting all meetings of Planning Committee, Select Committees and formal meetings of the Cabinet;

(3)     That the decision to waive the presumption of webcasting should rest with the chairman and vice-chairman and that, for select committees, if a difference of opinion should arise between those two members, the decision should be referred to the members of the Business Planning Group; and

(4)     That the criteria to be used to inform the decision as to whether to webcast all or part of a meeting, be as set out in paragraph 9 of the report and be included in Standing Orders, as set out at Appendix 1 to the report.

21.1   The Council approved appointments as set out below.

22.1   The Council was invited to consider extending the appointments of two members of the Independent Remuneration Panel.  Members were informed that Dr Neil Beer (Chairman of the Panel) and Mr John Donaldson had been first appointed to the Panel in October 2015 for a four-year term.  The Council was invited to appoint them for a second term, to run from October 2019 to October 2023.

22.2   Resolved –

          That the extensions to the appointments be approved.

At its meeting on 12 June 2019, the Central and South Mid Sussex County Local Committee agreed to authorise the Director of Law and Assurance to make the Order as advertised.

The call-in deadline is 20 June 2019.

The Community Initiative Fund is a County Local Committee (CLC) administered fund that provides assistance to local community projects.  Bids should show evidence of projects that have the support of the community and make a positive impact on people’s wellbeing and support The West Sussex Plan.

At its meeting on 12 June 2019 the Central and South Mid Sussex County Local Committee considered the Community Initiative Funding applications received via the West Sussex Crowd as set out in Appendix A.

The following pledges were approved:-

356/CSMS – Ensemble Reza, Reza Community Orchestra, up to £1,000 – Towards venue hire plus publicity and printing costs.

365/CSMS – Holy Trinity CE Primary School PTA, Outdoor Classroom at Holy Trinity School, up to £1,500 - Towards building a wooden outdoor classroom next to the school pond habitat.  This pledge was conditional, subject to the project entering the fundraising stage by the end of the year.

370/CSMS – Hurstpierpoint Churches, The Melting Pot Café, up to £1,000 - Towards purchasing a coffee grinder machine and water module.  This pledge was conditional, subject to the project entering the fundraising stage by the end of the year.

The following pledge was declined:-

369/CSMS – Mid Sussex MS Society, towards cost of hall hire for hosting mindfulness classes.  The Committee felt that the costs were revenue funding and not eligible for Community Initiative Funding

The call-in deadline is 20 June 2019.

The Community Initiative Fund is a County Local Committee (CLC) administered fund that provides assistance to local community projects.

Bids should show evidence of projects that have the support of the community and make a positive impact on people’s wellbeing and support The West Sussex Plan.

At its meeting on 11 June 2019 the Joint Eastern Arun Area Committee considered the Community Initiative Funding applications received via the West Sussex Crowd as set out in Appendix A.

The following pledges were approved:-

361/JEAAC – Brookside Memorial Garden Community Group, up to £2,500 subject to the project achieving 50% of the overall project costs  - Towards the creation of a memorial garden to include; a memorial wall, plaque and hoggin paths for disabled access

The Call-in Deadline for the decision is 20 June 2019.

At its meeting on 11 June 2019, It was resolved that the North Chichester County Local Committee;

 · Authorises the Director of Law & Assurance to bring the School Keep Clear Traffic Regulation Order into operation as advertised, for all areas, but to defer Compton at this time, by a unanimous vote.

 · Requests that officers undertake further consultation and communication with the Local Member, Viral Parikh, into the area of Compton, by a unanimous vote. The decision regarding this area will then be deferred to the next County Local Committee meeting, or under ‘Urgent Actions’ should it be deemed necessary.

The call-in deadline is 18 June 2019

The function of the nomination of school governors to maintained schools and academies is delegated to County Local Committees (CLCs) as it enables county councillors to maintain a valuable link with the schools and helps promote to the wider public the important role of school governors.

Under the Education Act 2011 local authority governors are nominated by the local authority but appointed by the governing body. The CLC can nominate any eligible person as a local authority governor, but it is for the governing body to decide whether their nominee has the skills to contribute to the effective governance and success of the school and meets any other eligibility criteria they have set.

At its meeting on 11 June 2019 the North Chichester County Local Committee approved the following nominations under the 2012 Regulations:

Nomination for appointment:

• Ms Barbara Murrell to Camelsdale Primary School for a four-year term

The call-in deadline is 18 June 2019

As part of its capital programme management, in line with the County Council’s West Sussex Asset Management Policy and Strategy, the Council continually reviews its property estate. This includes consideration of assets which are likely to become surplus to operational requirements, i.e. no longer needed. In addition, the Council acquires or develops assets to meet statutory and service requirements as well as the Council’s wider purposes, including investment or to promote social and economic development opportunities. From time to time these activities give rise to decisions to purchase, dispose of or to develop an asset.

To accord with County Council Standing Orders, this report advises on the outcome of the formal marketing of Oriel Lodge, 25 West Street, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1RZ and seeks the approval of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources to dispose of the County Council’s freehold estate in the property. A number of offers have been received and approval is sought to sell to the preferred unconditional bidder. The property was declared surplus in 2018, FR17(17/18).

The Cabinet Member has endorsed:

1)   That the County Council disposes of the freehold estate of Oriel Lodge, 25 West Street, Chichester, West Sussex, PO191RZ as identified on the plan at Appendix A; and

2)   That authority is delegated to the Executive Director of Place Services in conjunction with the Director of Law and Assurance to conclude the terms with the successful bidder.

In 2016 the Council combined its fleet management function, with one team overseeing the purchase, commissioning, maintenance and disposal of fleet assets (vehicles and equipment).

Currently the light fleet (cars, vans and standard minibuses) is maintained by an external supplier. The contract for this service will expire on 30 June 2020. The specialist fleet (accessible minibuses and fire appliances) are maintained internally using the Council’s workshop facilities.

Following a review of how the maintenance function currently operates, there is an opportunity to insource the maintenance of the light fleet (approximately 350 vehicles) in order to best utilise internal resources and facilities and achieve savings on the cost of labour and parts.

This decision begins the transition process, ensuring the systems and staff are in place for full mobilisation on 1 July 2020.

The Chief Fire Officer has approved that the Council;

1)   insource the maintenance of the light vehicle fleet from 1^st July 2020; and

2)   agree the proposed resource levels required to administer and maintain the additional vehicles.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has provided funding from the Local Growth Fund to assist with the design and development of a full business case for the A2300 scheme following the submission of an outline business case by the County Council in June 2018 (decision HI03 18/19). The same decision delegated authority to the Director of Highways & Transport to tender, procure and award the services of Design & Build and Contract Administration from the approved list of contractors on the Highways and Transport Frameworks.

In November 2018, the Director of Highways and Transport awarded the design contract to Jackson Civil Engineering Limited (decision OKD13 18/19) which enabled a detailed design for the scheme to be completed and the development of a full business case.

The submission and approval of the full business case will enable the remaining LGF to be secured from the DfT as a contribution towards the construction of the scheme.

The Cabinet Member for Highways and Infrastructure has:

1. approved a further £2.25m of the £22.58m Capital Programme allocation to enable land acquisition, management of great crested newts identified from ecological surveys and vegetation clearance works which are required to be completed before the start of scheme construction prior to approval of the Full Business Case by the Department for Transport; and

2. delegated authority to the Director of Highways, Transport and Planning to:

2.1        approve the remaining capital allocation, subject to confirmation of the Local Growth Fund allocation by the Department for Transport;

2.2        approve and submit the Full Business Case to the Department for Transport and award the construction contracts subject to the approval of the Full Business Case; and

2.3        approve funding agreements with other agencies to deliver related elements of the scheme and, subject to the confirmation of funding, award the construction contracts.

The project forms part of the agreed objectives of the Your Energy Sussex (YES) partnership by increasing and enabling the expansion of renewable energy generation in the county as well as developing the low carbon economy and reducing CO₂ emissions. It also supports the outcomes identified in the approved Energy Strategy. The project will also facilitate a much needed re-development of the site, with the existing buildings being demolished and the site fully secured. The site has in recent years suffered problems with safety, break-ins and vandalism.

Since 1 April 2014 the YES team has been working to develop a significant pipeline of energy related projects including:

•     The imminent completion of Westhampnett solar farm with 4 mega-watts of energy storage on site,

•     Development of Tangmere Solar farm, which is now complete,

•     Installation of commercial scale PV (photovoltaic) systems on schools and third party roofs including at Goodwood Aerodrome,

•     PV systems for 225 houses owned by Crawley Borough Council, and

•     For Adur & Worthing councils, installation of gas central heating systems in houses served by a newly installed gas main.

Generation of income for all the energy schemes will be achieved through the Council’s energy purchaser (N-Power) selling power on its behalf, maximising the income opportunities available as an energy generator. The dual expansion of solar generation and stand-alone battery storage is a key part of the YES energy project pipeline, with solar farms and battery storage continuing to represent a relatively low risk investment for capital.

The Cabinet Member for Environment has approved:

1. The capital allocation of £11.6M for the Halewick Lane Battery Storage Project scheme, detailed in section 4 of the report

2. The commencement of the procurement process for the project

3. The delegation of authority to the Director for Environment and Public Protection to award the design and construction contract for the scheme and to determine the most appropriate timing.

In response to comments and feedback from Members, partners, and the public, the Cabinet Member proposes to introduce a mechanism for smaller grants to be made by CLCs as part of the Community Initiative Fund (CIF). This would be for smaller-scale projects seeking funding of no more than £750 for total costs of their project.

An organisation seeking funding for £750 or less will be able to apply direct for a grant as an alternative to using the crowdfunding platform. This would be aimed at smaller groups with low project costs.

The Cabinet Member for Safer, Stronger Communities has approved:

1)         changes to the operation and processes for the allocation of Community Initiative Fund money to both a crowdfunding model and a smaller ‘micro fund’ as outlined in the report; and

2)         that the change takes effect from May 2019.

The Community Hub Strategy aims to combine services ‘under one community roof’ to create modern, flexible, accessible spaces that bring communities together to increase participation and build resilience.

Following the Community Hubs decision taken in January 2019 (Reference report SSC7 18/19) the first community to undertake this approach is Worthing. The Library building in Worthing has been identified as the first community hub and local community engagement has helped shape the services which can be offered from this location.  Learning from this site will allow effective testing of the ideas and support the development of a wider programme for community hubs across West Sussex.

The Cabinet Member for Safer, Stronger Communities has:

1)    approved the allocation of £3.058m from the provision in the Capital Programme to deliver the Worthing Community Hub, the submission of a planning application and the commencement of the procurement for its construction based on the designs set out in the report;

2)    invited the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People to confirm that the Children and Family Centre on Crescent Road in Worthing is surplus to requirements; and

3)    delegated authority to the Executive Director Place Services to seek planning permission and to award the contract for the building, fit out and maintenance works to the most economically advantageous bid in accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders on Procurement and Contracts.