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Council - Monday 16th December 2024 6.30 pm

December 16, 2024 View on council website Watch video of meeting
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Summary

This meeting of the Council will see a number of reports brought to Councillors following previous discussions at the council's various committees. Councillors will also be asked to make a decision on the future of Winter Fuel Payments for the District's pensioners.

The Public Speaking Scheme at Planning Committee

The meeting will include the consideration of a new Public Speaking Scheme at the council's planning committee. The new scheme will, if enacted, change the existing scheme, which was introduced in November 2019.

The new scheme proposes a number of changes that are intended to shorten the length of meetings, after a review found that:

the length of meetings had increased due to the number of speakers permitted for each application and the length of time allowed to speak, leading to Councillor and officer fatigue and increased cost of meetings.

The new scheme will mean that:

  • Residents will no longer be able to use visual aids in their presentations.
  • Only one speaker will be allowed to speak for, and one against, any given planning application. The only exception to this will be for applications for major developments of more than 100 dwellings, or applications considered broadly equivalent. In these cases two speakers will be permitted to speak both for and against an application.
  • Councillors will no longer be allowed to question members of the public who are speaking at meetings of the Planning Committee.

The report notes that the new scheme will need to be reflected in changes to the council's Statement of Community Involvement, which sets out how residents can engage with the planning process.

The Future of Public Conveniences in Rother

The meeting will include the consideration of the council's Asset Disposal Policy. The new policy is intended to enable the council to meet its policy objectives during a period of what the document describes as budget deficit challenges. It will also help the council to generate capital receipts to support the capital projects laid out in its capital programme.

The policy will be used to assess all of the council's assets. The policy identifies assets that it describes as suitable for disposal, so that resources can be targeted at other assets.

The report specifically mentions the future of the District's public conveniences, noting that:

following lobbying from across the geographical area of the district, early consideration of the currently closed public conveniences would take place, with a report being made early in the new year.

It also notes that Councillors expressed a desire to see assets that are no longer required by the council transferred to town and parish councils, or community groups, based on the asset's social value, rather than its potential sale value.

Internal Drainage Board Levies

Councillors will be asked to approve the appointment of Councillor Sue Prochak to the Local Government Association’s Special Interest Group (SIG) on Internal Drainage Board Levies.

Councillor Prochak has been nominated for the position by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Doug Oliver.

Internal Drainage Boards are statutory bodies that manage water levels in areas that would otherwise be at risk of flooding. They are funded by levies on local councils.

The report notes that Rother District Council is classed as a Special Levy Paying Council, and that the levy represents a significant cost to the authority, but it does not specify the amount of the levy. The report goes on to note that:

as a Special Levy Paying Council, it would be advantageous for the Council to be involved in this SIG.

The SIG was formed in October 2023 with 15 member councils. It now has 33. The SIG is campaigning for a change in the way that Internal Drainage Boards are funded. They want to:

support the request for the Government to commit to a new, longer term funding approach for Drainage Boards that removes the requirement for councils to fund them.

Winter Fuel Allowance

A motion will be put before the council by Councillor Ganly that regrets the UK Government's decision to restrict the Winter Fuel Payment to pensioners in receipt of Pension Credit.

The motion notes that this will mean that some of the district's pensioners will be forced to choose between heating their homes or paying for other essential goods and services. It also argues that the government has underestimated the administrative burden associated with claiming Pension Credit.

The motion calls on the government to withdraw its proposal to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment, and to consider the many suggested alternatives. It asks that the government make it easier to claim for Pension Credit.

The motion also calls on the Leader of the Council to write to the government, and to lobby colleagues at the Local Government Association on the matter.

Other Topics

The meeting will also include discussion of:

  • The council's finances.
  • A new Digital and Customer Services Strategy.
  • The appointment of Councillor Simon McGurk as a company director to the board of Rother DC Housing Company Ltd.
  • Proposed changes to the council's constitution.
  • The appointment of a Rother Councillor to East Sussex Energy, Infrastructure and Development Ltd.
  • Proposed changes to the way the council's taxi licensing regime operates.
  • Whether to adopt the Gambling Act 2005 - Statement of Principles 2025-28.

Attendees

Lisa Cooper
Gilian Macinnes
Profile image for Councillor John Barnes, MBE
Councillor John Barnes, MBE  Conservative •  Burwash & the Weald
Profile image for Councillor Mrs Mary Barnes
Councillor Mrs Mary Barnes  Conservative •  Hurst Green & Ticehurst
Profile image for Councillor Christine Bayliss
Councillor Christine Bayliss  Labour •  Bexhill Central
Profile image for Councillor Tony Biggs
Councillor Tony Biggs  Conservative •  Northern Rother
Profile image for Councillor Sue Burton
Councillor Sue Burton  Green •  North Battle, Netherfield & Whatlington
Profile image for Councillor Terry Byrne
Councillor Terry Byrne  Rother Association of Independent Councillors •  Bexhill Sackville
Profile image for Councillor Fazlul Chowdhury
Councillor Fazlul Chowdhury  Labour •  Bexhill Sidley
Profile image for Councillor Charles Clark
Councillor Charles Clark  Independent •  Bexhill Pebsham & St Michaels
Profile image for Councillor Sam Coleman
Councillor Sam Coleman  Labour •  Bexhill Sidley
Profile image for Councillor Mrs Vikki Cook
Councillor Mrs Vikki Cook  Liberal Democrats •  South Battle & Telham
Profile image for Councillor Beverley Coupar
Councillor Beverley Coupar  Independent •  Sedlescombe & Westfield
Profile image for Councillor Cheryl Creaser
Councillor Cheryl Creaser  Labour •  Rye & Winchelsea
Profile image for Councillor Gareth Delany
Councillor Gareth Delany  Labour •  Bexhill Pebsham & St Michaels
Profile image for Councillor Brian Drayson
Councillor Brian Drayson  Rother Association of Independent Councillors •  Bexhill Kewhurst
Profile image for Councillor Kathryn Field
Councillor Kathryn Field  Liberal Democrats •  North Battle, Netherfield & Whatlington
Profile image for Councillor Tony Ganly
Councillor Tony Ganly  Conservative •  Northern Rother
Profile image for Councillor Neil Gordon
Councillor Neil Gordon  Conservative •  Brede & Udimore
Profile image for Councillor Polly Gray
Councillor Polly Gray  Green •  Bexhill Old Town & Worsham
Profile image for Councillor Tim Grohne
Councillor Tim Grohne  Conservative •  Southern Rother
Profile image for Councillor Lizzie Hacking
Councillor Lizzie Hacking  Conservative •  Eastern Rother
Profile image for Councillor Andrew Hayward
Councillor Andrew Hayward  Rother Association of Independent Councillors •  Bexhill Kewhurst
Profile image for Councillor Ashan Jeeawon
Councillor Ashan Jeeawon  Rother Association of Independent Councillors •  Bexhill Collington
Profile image for Councillor Teresa Killeen, MBE
Councillor Teresa Killeen, MBE  Liberal Democrats •  Hurst Green & Ticehurst
Profile image for Councillor Mrs Eleanor Kirby-Green
Councillor Mrs Eleanor Kirby-Green  Conservative •  Burwash & the Weald
Profile image for Councillor Mark Legg
Councillor Mark Legg  Labour •  Bexhill Old Town & Worsham
Profile image for Councillor Carl Maynard
Councillor Carl Maynard  Conservative •  Sedlescombe & Westfield
Profile image for Councillor Ruairi McCourt
Councillor Ruairi McCourt  Labour •  Bexhill Central
Profile image for Councillor Simon McGurk
Councillor Simon McGurk  Labour •  Rye & Winchelsea
Profile image for Councillor Andrew Mier
Councillor Andrew Mier  Liberal Democrats •  Southern Rother
Profile image for Councillor Doug Oliver
Councillor Doug Oliver  Rother Association of Independent Councillors •  Bexhill Collington
Profile image for Councillor Paul Osborne
Councillor Paul Osborne  Conservative •  Eastern Rother
Profile image for Councillor Chas Pearce
Councillor Chas Pearce  Liberal Democrats •  Catsfield & Crowhurst
Profile image for Councillor Susan Prochak, MBE
Councillor Susan Prochak, MBE  Liberal Democrats •  Robertsbridge
Profile image for Councillor Arren Rathbone Ariel
Councillor Arren Rathbone Ariel  Green •  Bexhill St Stephens
Profile image for Councillor Jimmy Stanger
Councillor Jimmy Stanger  Rother Association of Independent Councillors •  Bexhill St Marks
Profile image for Councillor Richard Thomas
Councillor Richard Thomas  Liberal Democrats •  Bexhill St Stephens
Profile image for Councillor Hazel Timpe
Councillor Hazel Timpe  Rother Association of Independent Councillors •  Bexhill Sackville
Profile image for Councillor Connor Winter
Councillor Connor Winter  Independent •  Bexhill St Marks
Lorna Ford
Andrew Vallance

Topics

No topics have been identified for this meeting yet.

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