The Governance Committee met to discuss several items, including proposed amendments to the council's constitution, appointments to outside bodies, and pay awards for Local Managerial Grade (LMG) managers, the Chief Executive, Chief Officers, and Deputy Chief Officers. The committee agreed to recommend that the County Council approve the amendment to the constitution, agreed to appoint councillors to outside bodies, and approved the pay awards for LMG managers, the Chief Executive, Chief Officers, and Deputy Chief Officers.

Senior Officer Pay Awards

The committee approved the pay awards for the Chief Executive, Chief Officers, and Deputy Chief Officers for the financial year 2025/26, mirroring the national Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) pay award of 3.20%.

The Assistant Director, Human Resources and Organisational Development, Sarah Mainwaring, presented a report on Chief Executive, Chief Officers' and Deputy Chief Officers' Pay 2025/26, noting that Chief Officers' pay is determined locally, but that national pay awards are relevant to local negotiations. The report also considered the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation rate, which rose by 4.2% in the 12 months to July 2025, and the annual growth in employees' average regular earnings, which was 5.2% in February to April 2025.

The report included benchmarking data comparing East Sussex County Council's pay rates for these positions with those of neighbouring authorities, including Brighton and Hove, Kent, Surrey and West Sussex.

The report argued that it was important for the council to be able to attract and retain high-calibre staff, and that pay rates needed to be appropriately competitive, given recruitment and retention challenges within the public sector.

The financial impact of mirroring the national pay award was estimated to be £43,800 per annum, including on-costs, which is fully provided for in the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP).

LMG Managers Pay Award

The committee agreed the pay award for Local Managerial Grade (LMG) Managers for 2025/26, mirroring the national (NJC) award. Following the Governance Committee's decision on 27 August 2025, negotiations with UNISON¹ have taken place and local managers have indicated their acceptance of the pay offer. The updated 2025/26 rates of pay are shown in the LMG Pay Scales 1 April 2025.

Appointments to Outside Bodies

The committee agreed to appoint councillors to serve on outside bodies, following the death of Councillor Peter Pragnell. The appointments are a vital part of the County Council's working in partnership with voluntary sector bodies, statutory agencies and the public and private sectors.

The vacancies to be filled were:

• East Sussex Fire Authority
• Hastings Plan for Neighbourhoods Board
• Coombe Valley Countryside Park Community Interest Company (substitute)
• Hastings Safer Community Partnership (substitute)
• Rother Safer Community Partnership (substitute)

Appointments to the East Sussex Fire Authority are determined in accordance with rules of political proportionality. The Conservative group retains the right to fill the current vacancy on this external body.

Amendment to the Constitution – Access to Information Procedure Rules

The committee agreed to recommend that the County Council approve an amendment to the constitution relating to access to information procedure rules. The amendment removes a requirement to publish an annual notice regarding the Forward Plan² in at least one newspaper circulating in the area of the local authority. This requirement stems from legislation that has been repealed and as such this provision is not necessary and serves no practical purpose.