Eastbourne Borough Council met on 17 September 2025, and among the topics discussed were local government reorganisation, grass cutting, violence against women and girls, and concerns about the Southern Water treatment works. Councillors agreed to request that East Sussex County Council review its grass cutting schedule, and to ensure staff are trained on violence against women and girls and domestic abuse. They also agreed to welcome action taken against Southern Water and to provide timely updates to councillors and the public on the matter.

Local Government Reorganisation and Devolution

Councillors considered the proposal for a single tier of local government for East Sussex, as detailed in the Local Government Reorganisation and Devolution Cabinet Report. The proposal suggests replacing Eastbourne Borough Council, East Sussex County Council, Hastings Borough Council, Lewes District Council, Rother District Council and Wealden District Council with a single unitary council from April 2028. If accepted, a new shadow authority would be elected in May 2027 to enable the transition.

The council was asked to note the report ahead of it being considered and determined by the cabinet on 24 September 2025.

The report stated that the proposal has been prepared in line with the criteria and guidance set out in the letter from Jim McMahon MP, the then Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution.

The six criteria set by government are:

1. Establishment of a single tier of local government
2. The right size to achieve efficiencies, improve capacity and withstand financial shocks
3. Prioritise the delivery of high quality and sustainable public services
4. Meet local needs and informed by local views
5. Support devolution arrangements
6. Enable stronger community engagement and deliver genuine opportunity for neighbourhood empowerment

The report also noted that Brighton & Hove City Council is expected to make a separate submission recommending the expansion of the existing unitary council to include additional wards currently forming part of Lewes District Council, a proposal strongly opposed by the East Sussex councils.

Community Governance Review

Councillors considered whether to undertake a Community Governance Review, in light of the reorganisation of local government in East Sussex, as detailed in the Community Governance Review Report. The report noted that the potential unification of East Sussex County Council with its constituent borough and district councils, would result in the abolition of Eastbourne Borough Council, which could be interpreted as a gap in representation between any new unitary authority and local communities.

Section 83 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 mandates a principal authority to undertake a community governance review only on receipt of a valid community governance petition by local government electors or a community governance application by a designated neighbourhood forum. As the request from Cabinet doesn't mandate a review, it is for Full Council to determine whether to proceed with one, based on the information set out in the report.

The report recommended that the council decide whether to approve that a Community Governance Review be conducted, in accordance with the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, or not approve that a Community Governance Review be conducted at this time.

Should Full Council approve that a review be conducted, the report also recommended that the council approve the timetable and Terms of Reference for the review, as set out in the Appendix 1 - Community Governance Review Terms of Reference, that the Assistant Director – People and Governance be authorised to take all necessary steps in relation to the review, and that a Member Task and Finish Group be appointed to consider the Review and make recommendations to the Audit and Governance Committee, comprising a total of 4 councillors.

Motion - Grass Cutting

Councillors considered a motion relating to grass cutting, as detailed in the Agenda frontsheet. The motion noted that the current standard of grass verge maintenance in Eastbourne is concerning, with overgrown verges creating a disappointing look for the town, and that well-maintained verges are a basic expectation of residents and essential to Eastbourne's appeal as a seaside resort.

Councillor Jim Murray submitted amendments to the motion, as detailed in the Amendments to Motions 9c and 9a for EBC Full Council document.

The amended motion asked the Leader of the Council to write to request that the County Council undertakes a full review of the grass cutting schedule and mapping, in conjunction with Eastbourne Borough Council officers and Councillors, so as to not cause hazards to road users and an unattractive street scene, and that in making this request it should be made clear to the County Council that cutting the grass verges two times a year should be considered a bare minimum, and notes that the residents of Eastbourne pay for the maintenance of grass verges in their Council Tax, and Eastbourne Borough Council should not be expected to subsidise East Sussex County Council's responsibilities in this matter.

Motion - Addressing Women's Rights and Violence Against Women and Girls

Councillors considered a motion relating to addressing women's rights and violence against women and girls, as detailed in the Agenda frontsheet. The motion welcomed the Labour Party's national commitment to halve Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and Domestic Abuse (DA) over the next decade, and noted that VAWG is a preventable social evil blighting the lives and health of women and girls throughout the country, including in Eastbourne, that in 5 years Between 2018 and 2023 VAWG increased by 37% according to police data and in 2022, domestic abuse accounted for 18% of all recorded crime in England and Wales, that nationally, one in four women will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime, and, on average, at least one woman per week is killed by a male partner or ex-partner, that the estimated cost of domestic abuse to victims is incalculable and the estimated cost to the public purse is £78 billion annually, that VAWG impacts Eastbourne Borough Council's budget, too, including through the provision of safe, temporary accommodation to victims, that specialist domestic abuse services provide life-saving, trauma-informed support, and research shows that for every £1 invested, £9 is saved in public funds, however, competitive commissioning processes currently risk replacing these providers with larger, generic organisations, to the detriment of survivors, that particular concern has been raised about the growing influence of misogynistic content online on young people's understanding of healthy relationships, which, through research with young women in the town, has been found to be significant here, that the role of Women and Girls' Rights Champion —unique within Sussex councils — has enabled increased coordination and awareness of local efforts and provided a central contact with Sussex Police Commissioner, our local police and with East Sussex County Council specifically regarding VAWG and DA, and that the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence (25 November–10 December) is an important date within the international calendar that helps to raise awareness locally and promotes services that help victims and survivors.

The motion resolved to ensure that regular training and support for staff are provided on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and domestic abuse (DA), to support East Sussex County Council and Sussex Police to ensure healthy relationship education is delivered in all local schools, to request that the Leader of the Council writes to East Sussex County Council to call for it to protect the commissioning of local specialist domestic abuse services, to support East Sussex County Council to protect and grow mental health services for men who are perpetrators and women who are victims of Domestic Abuse and Violence, and to acknowledge and actively promote the 16 Days of Activism every year.

Motion - Southern Water (Waste Treatment Works)

Councillors considered a motion relating to the Southern Water (Waste Treatment Works), as detailed in the Agenda frontsheet. The motion noted the requests for action over the last few months, and welcomed the recent steps taken by the relevant officers to issue an Abatement Notice to Southern Water (Waste Treatment Works, Langney Point) under the Environment Protection Act 1990.

Councillor Murray submitted amendments to the motion, as detailed in the Amendments to Motions 9c and 9a for EBC Full Council document.

The amended motion thanked the Member of Parliament for Eastbourne, Josh Babarinde, for his continued work on this issue, called on Southern Water to expedite the necessary works to resolve the problem and to provide compensation to affected residents, requested that the relevant Officers to ensure that appropriate enforcement action, if any is required, is taken without delay, in conjunction with the Environment Agency as appropriate, asked the Assistant Director for Customer Service and Delivery, to ensure that all Councillors and the public are provided with timely updates on this matter, and requested in addition, within budgetary constraints, that Officers work with Southern Water to extend odour monitoring and seek independent advice and guidance to confirm that there is no toxicity.

Discussion on minutes of council bodies

Councillor Robert Smart spoke on minute 20 of the Planning Committee Minutes - 19 August 2025, relating to Terminus Road – ID 250419, as detailed in the Minutes for Discussion document.