Minutes – Full Council – 25 February 2026
The agenda and papers for this meeting are available here: Full Council – 25 February 2026 – agenda and papers
The minutes of this meeting are presented below.
You can also download a PDF copy of the minutes here: Minutes – Full Council – 25 February 2026
Papers received after publication of the agenda for circulation with the minutes (PDF download only):
MEETING OF COUNCIL
Minutes
Date: 25 February 2026
Time: 6.00pm – 7.19pm
Location: The Assembly Room – The Council House • North Street • CHICHESTER • West Sussex • PO19 1LQ (NOTE: the meeting was moved due to heat issues in the Council Chamber)
PRESENT: The Mayor, Councillor McHale (SMc), and Councillors C Gershater (CG), Quail (SQ), Vivian (JV), Butler (AB), Miall (RMi), Apel (CA), Loxton (SL), J Gershater (JG), Corfield (MC), Chant (RC), Knight (SK), Kondabeka (JK), Moore (RMo), Pramas (LP), Russell (NR), Dominick (MD).
ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Town Clerk (TC), Deputy Town Clerk (DTC), Council Services and Support Manager (CSSM), Property Maintenance Manager (PMM), West Sussex County Councillors Hunt (JH) (North Division), Oakley (SO) (East Division) and Sharp (SS) (South Division), Chichester District Councillor Brown (JB).
COUNCIL2026/27 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies had been received from Cllr Scicluna.
COUNCIL2026/28 DISPENSATION REQUESTS
None had been received.
COUNCIL2026/29 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were none.
COUNCIL2026/30 PUBLIC QUESTIONS
None had been received.
COUNCIL2026/31 MAYOR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Mayor welcomed Mark Dominic to his first meeting as a Councillor following his co-option on 11th February 2026.
The Mayor reminded Members that the Junior Citizens event would be taking place in April. Over 1,000 pupils from Chichester and Arun would be attending the event at Goodwood racecourse.
COUNCIL2026/32 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS
Council RESOLVED to approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Full Council meetings held on the 17 December 2025, 7 January 2026 (Extra Ordinary meeting) and 11 February 2026 (Extra Ordinary meeting).
COUNCIL2026/33 UPDATE ON ACTIONS FROM PREVIOUS MEETING
Meeting held on 17 December 2025:
Minute COUNCIL2025/25 refers – Request details of flooding concerns as raised by Councillor Quail – Town Clerk.
These had been provided. The Clerk advised that these had been provided and that further information and updates had been requested from the residents following the recent heavy rains and flooding in the area.
Minute COUNCIL2025/26 refers – Update City Council Plan document with latest e-ink display information – Communications and Civic Support Officer.
Council noted that the Business Plan Sub-Committee had halted the trial and the units had been removed. It was further noted that a report would be taken to the Finance Committee regarding the project and the way forward.
Minute COUNCIL2025/26 refers – Investigate with Chichester District Council regarding reinstatement of the Infrastructure Steering Group – Councillor Vivian
JV advised that Chichester District Council (CDC) had confirmed that the group was established to monitor infrastructure associated with the Minerva Heights S106 obligations but had now been wound up following completion of the works.
It was further advised that there was no intention to start it up again. Council requested that the Planning & Conservation Committee should consider how best these issues could be monitored as phase 2 development at Minerva Heights got under way.
Minute COUNCIL2025/27 refers – Arrange meeting dates and venues for town hall meetings in each ward in January.
Councillors were informed that the South Ward meeting had been arranged for 13th April 2026 at St Georges Hall and it had been proposed that the Central Ward meeting would be combined with the Annual Parish Meeting. The date of the East Ward meeting was to be confirmed and would be held at Swanfield Community Centre.
A venue for the North Ward meeting was still being sought.
The West ward meeting is still to be finalised.
The Annual Parish Meeting was originally planned for 7th May, but this would now be rescheduled as it was the date of the West Sussex County Council (WSCC) elections.
Minute COUNCIL2025/29 refers – Advertise councillor vacancy and call extra council meeting in early February to make the co-option – Co-option completed – 11 February 2026
Members noted that this process had been completed.
Minute COUNCIL2025/34 refers – Invite representatives of SCFT NHS trust to present to the Council in the spring – Councillor C Gershater
CG reported that it was hoped that a representative from the trust would be available to speak at the Annual Parish meeting.
Minute COUNCIL2025/40 refers – Review member communication channels for CAT progress updates – Town Clerk
Members were informed that a working group comprised of the Chairs of the standing committees and the Mayor had been established and had met once.
COUNCIL2026/34 MINUTES FROM COMMITTEES
To note minutes and consider recommendations (if any) from Committee meetings held since last Council meeting.
Community Affairs Committee:
No meetings held
Community Liaison Sub-Committee – 19 February 2026 – after JG, as Chair of the Sub-Committee, had highlighted some of the matters discussed at the meeting, Council NOTED the minutes of this meeting.
Finance Committee:
RMi, as Chair of the Committee, highlighted some points from the recent meeting and advised that discussion of the Committee’s budget recommendation would take place later. Council then NOTED the minutes of the Finance Committee held on 4 February 2026.
Members NOTED the minutes of the Business Plan Sub-Committee meeting held on 9 February 2026, the People Management Sub-Committee held on 19 January 2026 and the Property Management Sub-Committee meeting held on 10 February 2026.
Planning and Conservation Committee:
JV, as Chair of the Committee introduced the minutes of the Planning and Conservation Committee meeting held on 29 January 2026 which were NOTED by Council.
COUNCIL2026/35 CHICHESTER CITY COUNCIL BUDGET – 2026-2027
Council reviewed the recommendation from the Finance Committee meeting held on 4 February 2026 regarding the City Council’s budget for 2026-2027, namely:
Minute FIN2026/73 refers: The Committee RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND to Full Council on the 25 February 2026 that the revised budget as proposed be accepted, with one amendment made to allocate £30K of funding towards additional LGR support staff costs in 2026/27. This would bring the proposed budget precept requirement to £ £1,547,003.25 and the Band D charge to £122.08 per year.
CA left the meeting at 6.35pm, before the vote on the budget.
It was proposed by Councillor Russell, seconded by Councillor Butler and RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY to adopt the proposed budget recommendation.
COUNCIL2026/36 LOCAL GOVERNMENT REORGANISATION (LGR)
TC advised that negotiations were still ongoing regarding Community Asset Transfers between CDC, the City Council and various interested parties at Oaklands Park.
Councillors were informed that it was likely that an additional extension of the deadline would be required and a request would be made to CDC.
A meeting was planned with the Leader at CDC and senior officers to try and progress matters further.
COUNCIL2026/37 STATUTORY POLICY REVIEWS
Council COMPLETED the following Statutory Policy Reviews, in line with Standing Orders Appendix 2;
a. NOTED AND RATIFIED the City Council’s Financial Regulations and Standing Orders as reviewed by the Finance Committee at their meeting held on 4 February 2026 (Minute FIN2026/75 refers).
b. NOTED AND RATIFIED the review of the City Council’s risk assessment statements and action plan undertaken at the meeting of the Finance Committee held on 4 February 2026 (Minute FIN2026/75 refers).
c. NOTED AND RATIFIED the review of the City Council’s insurance cover for all insured risks undertaken at the meeting of the Finance Committee held on 4 February 2026 (Minute FIN2026/75 refers).
d. REVIEWED the Council’s policy for dealing with the press and media (March 2024) – and made no amendments.
e. REVIEWED the City Council’s variable direct debits, standing orders and online banking arrangements and made no amendments.
f. NOTED AND RATIFIED the review of Fees and Charges as undertaken at the meeting of the Finance Committee at the meeting held on 4 February 2026 and made no amendments to the revised schedule. (Minute FIN2026/74 refers).
COUNCIL2026/38 ANNUAL PARISH MEETING AND WARD MEETINGS
The Mayor noted that this had already been discussed (see Minute COUNCIL2026/32).
COUNCIL2026/39 ESTABLISH PRINCIPLES FOR OBSERVING/PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR KEY CULTURAL AND FAITH FESTIVALS
Deferred from the Community Liaison Sub-Committee meeting held on 19 February 2026.
Council RESOLVED to establish a Working Group to develop a policy regarding approaches from local cultural and faith groups requesting City Council support with key events and festivals in their applicable calendars.
The working group would comprise of LP, RC, MD, NR, SMc
Post meeting note: Councillor Apel, who had left the meeting at this point, has also agreed to join the Working Group
COUNCIL2026/40 REPORTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES ON OUTSIDE BODIES
None had been received.
COUNCIL2026/41 WARD REPORTS FROM CHICHESTER CITY COUNCILLORS
None have been received.
COUNCIL2026/42 REPORTS FROM CHICHESTER DISTRICT AND WEST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCILLORS REPRESENTING CHICHESTER WARDS AND DIVISIONS
WSCC Cllr. Sharp had submitted a report after the agenda had been circulated, so this would be sent with the meeting minutes.
She highlighted the issues with flooding and highways in the area and requested that wherever possible the online reporting forms be used to alert WSCC of issues and to share details on the One Network map to allow residents to stay up to date on network issues.
WSCC Cllr Hunt reminded Members that WSCC Operation Watershed funding was available to parish councils to help address flooding issues.
COUNCIL2026/43 QUESTIONS
None had been received.
COUNCIL2026/44 ITEMS FOR NEXT AGENDA
- Flooding
- Community Asset Transfer and Local Government Reorganisation
COUNCIL2026/45 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Date of next ordinary meeting: Wednesday 29 April 2026
COUNCIL2026/46 COMMON SEAL
RESOLVED that the Common Seal be affixed to any documents necessary to give effect to the resolutions passed at this meeting
Meeting closed at 7:19pm.