National Park Authority Meeting 9 July 2024

The Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations are in force, giving a right to members of the public to record (film, photograph and audio-record) and report on proceedings at committee meetings. Please read our protocol on Filming, Recording and Reporting of SDNPA Meetings Protocol for more information.

At the start of the meeting the Chair will make an announcement that the meeting may be filmed, recorded or photographed. Webcasting is undertaken in the public interest and in the exercise of our official authority, by entering the meeting room and using the public seating area you are consenting to being filmed, recorded and photographed. If you have any queries regarding this please contact committee.officer@southdowns.gov.uk

Webcasting

We broadcast all Planning Committee meetings through our webcasting portal. Meetings can be viewed live or on-demand up to six months after the meeting.

_Agenda

1. 1. 1. 1. Apologies for absence
         2. Election of Chair
            To elect a Chair for the following year
         3. Election of Deputy Chair
            To elect a Deputy Chair for the following year
         4. Declaration of Interests
            To enable Members to declare to the meeting any disclosable interest they may have in any matter on the agenda for the meeting.
         5. Minutes of the previous meetings held on 28 March 2024
            To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Authority meetings held on 28 March 2024.
            Agenda Item 3
         6. Urgent Matters
            To consider any matter on the agenda which the Chair agrees should be considered as a matter of urgency to due special circumstances (if Members have any urgent matters they are asked to consult the Chair before the meeting commences).
         7. Public Participation
            The Chair will allow members of the public to ask questions, make statements or present a petition on any matter on the agenda for this meeting or on any matter that falls within the Authority’s powers, subject to procedures set out in Appendix 3 to the Authority’s Standing Orders.
         8. Need for Part II Exclusion of Press and Public
            The Authority is asked to consider whether, in respect of Appendix 4 to Agenda Item 11, and Agenda Items 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26 the public, including the press, should be excluded from the meeting on the basis that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if a member of the public were present during the items there would be disclosure to them of exempt information within paragraphs 1, 3 and 5 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, being information relating to an individual (Appendix 4 to Agenda Item 11 and Agenda Item 26) and information relating to the financial and business affairs of a particular person including the Authority (Agenda Items 23, 24, and 25) and information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings (Agenda Item 22) and that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exempt information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. It is proposed that this conclusion be reached for the following reasons:
            • in respect of Appendix 4 to Agenda Item 11 and Agenda Item 26, whilst there is a public interest in the transparency of Authority proceedings and the appointment of Co-opted Members, it is felt that on balance this is outweighed by the public interest in ensuring that an individual’s right to privacy, including when this is prior to their appointment, is respected;
            • in respect of Agenda Items 22 and 25 whilst there is a public interest in maintaining the transparency of Authority proceedings relating to the delivery of its planning service and its day-to-day running, on balance this is outweighed by the need for the Authority to be able to consider matters in relation to its business and fully consider the implications of its proposed actions which would have implications for the agreements regarding the ongoing delivery of its planning service and the day-to-day running of the Authority without the disclosure of information that could undermine its position or its ability to deliver value for money through these arrangements or that could adversely impact the day-to-day running of the Authority and its ability to deliver its services;
            • in respect of Agenda Items 23 and 24, whilst there is a public interest in the transparency of Authority proceedings and the governance of a local authority trading company, it is felt that on balance this is outweighed by the public interest in ensuring that the National Park Authority is able to fully consider matters concerning its Teckal company’s business and the implications of its actions or proposed actions, with the benefit of specialist advice where appropriate, without the disclosure of information that could undermine its position and/or the position of its Teckal company, or its ability to deliver its services and value for money.
         9. Authority Chair Update
            To consider a report from the Authority Chair (Report NPA24/25-1).
            Agenda Item 9
         10. Chief Executive’s Progress Report
             To consider a report from the Chief Executive Officer (Report NPA24/25-2).
             Agenda Item 10
         11. Appointment of Committees and Outside Bodies including Schedule of Meetings 2024/25
             To consider a report from the Head of Governance (Report NPA24/25-3).
             Agenda Item 11
         12. Green Finance Summit Update
             To consider a verbal report from the Communications and Engagement Manager.
             Green Finance Summit 2024 – Highlights (youtube.com)
         13. Budget Monitoring Report: Provisional Outturn 2023/24
             To consider a report from the Chief Finance Officer (Report NPA24/25-4).
             Agenda Item 13
         14. Adoption of the East Sussex, South Downs and Brighton & Hove Waste Minerals Local Plan (WMLP) Revised Policies Document (RPD) and Revised Policies Map
             To consider a report from Senior Planning Policy Officer (Report NPA24/25-5).
             Agenda Item 14
         15. West Sussex Joint Waste Local Plan (WLP) – A Five-Year Assessment of Relevance and Effectiveness
             To consider a report from the Senior Planning Policy Officer (Report NPA24/25-6).
             Agenda Item 15
         16. Member Allowances
             To consider a report from Head of Governance (Report NPA24/25-7).
             Agenda Item 16
         17. Updates to Standing Orders
             To consider a report from the Head of Governance (Report NPA24/25-8).
             Agenda Item 17
         18. Appointment of Monitoring Officer
             To consider a report from the Chief Executive Officer (Report NPA24/25-9)
             Agenda Item 18
             THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE INCLUDED ON THE AGENDA FOR INFORMATION ONLY
         19. Planning Committee Minutes
             Minutes of the Planning Committee meetings held on 9 March and 13 April 2024.
             Agenda Item 19
         20. Policy & Resources Committee Minutes
             Minutes of the Policy & Resources Committee meeting held on 29 February 2024.
             Agenda Item 20
         21. Appointment, Management & Standards Committee Minutes
             Minutes of the Policy & Resources Committee meetings held on 14 February 2024.
             Agenda Item 21
             PART II
             THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE FOR MEMBERS OF THE AUTHORITY ONLY
         22. Part II minutes of the previous meeting held on 28 March 2024
             To approve as a correct record the part II minutes of the Authority meeting held on 28 March 2024.
         23. Future Management of Seven Sisters Country Park
             To consider a report from the Chief Executive Officer (Report NPA24/25-10).
         24. South Downs Commercial Operations Ltd Business Plan
             To consider a report from the Chief Executive Officer (Report NPA24/25-11).
             THE FOLLOWING ITEM IS INCLUDED ON THE AGENDA FOR INFORMATION ONLY
         25. Policy & Resources Committee Minutes
             Part II minutes of of the Policy and Resources Committee meeting held on 29 February 2024.
         26. Appointment, Management & Standards Committee Minutes
             Part II minutes of the Appointment, Management & Standards Committee meeting held on 14 February 2024.