Report of the Governance Committee

Recommended · This went to the meeting on Tue 14 Jul 2026. What was decided is in that meeting's minutes.

The Committee recommends that the County Council approve revised terms of reference for the East Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board and agree to amend the Constitution accordingly, to reflect recent changes to NHS structures and neighbourhood health policy and the increased role of the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. p6p27p28p29

Under the proposals, two additional VCSE representatives would be invited to the Board as observers with speaking rights, and the Deputy Chair would be chosen from among the East Sussex County Council elected members of the Board, as there is no longer a place-based NHS body for Sussex. p17p23

The Committee also recommends changes to committee memberships following nominations from the Green and Reform UK political groups, including Councillor Dowling replacing Councillor Simnett on the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee. p34p35p42p43

The proposed appointments are to seats already allocated to the relevant political groups and would not alter the current political balance of the committees. p40

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• p61.4. The current terms of reference need to be updated to reflect recent national changes to NHS structures and neighbourhood health policy and the increased role of the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector in providing care and support in East Sussex.
• p171.9. In recognition of the critical contribution the VCSE sector already makes to health and care in East Sussex, and the key role it is expected to play in neighbourhood health planning and delivery, it is proposed that 2 additional representatives from the VCSE sector are invited to the Board as observers with speaking rights.
• p231.12. In light of the recent changes to NHS structures, and that there is no longer a place-based NHS body for Sussex, it is proposed that the terms of reference are amended so that the Deputy Chair is chosen from among the East Sussex County Council elected members of the Board.
• p271.16. The Committee recommends the County Council to:
• p28v approve the revised terms of reference for the East Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board as set out in Appendix 1; and
• p29v agree to amend the Constitution accordingly.
• p342.5 A nomination has been received from the Green group proposing that Councillor Dowling be appointed to the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee in place of Councillor Simnett.
• p352.6 The Reform UK group has advised that Councillor Fisher will stand down from the Place Scrutiny Committee, Governance Committee and Standards Committee, and that Councillor Carson will stand down from the People Scrutiny Committee, and Regulatory Committee. The following changes and nominations were received for these places:
• p40Councillor Caira 2.7 The proposed appointments are to seats already allocated to the relevant political groups. They would not alter the current political balance of the committees.
• p422.9 The Committee recommends the County Council to:
• p43v agree changes to the membership on committees as set out in paragraphs 2.5 and 2.6 of the report. 30 June 2026 ANDY WOOLLEY (Chair)