Minutes – Full Council (Extra ordinary meeting) – 7 January 2026

The agenda and papers for this meeting are available here: Full Council (Extra Ordinary meeting) – 7 January 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 (Extra Ordinary meeting) – 7 January 2026

EXTRA ORDINARY MEETING OF COUNCIL

Minutes

Date: 7 January 2026

Time: 6.00pm – 7.27pm

Location: The Council Chamber – The Council House • North Street • CHICHESTER • West Sussex • PO19 1LQ

PRESENT: Councillors Craig Gershater (CG), Sarah Quail (SQ), James Vivian (JV), Robert Miall (RMi), Judy Gershater (JG), Rhys Chant (RC), Sean McHale (SMH), Joanne Kondabeka (JK), Rhodri Moore (RMo), Louise Pramas (LP), Nicholas Russell (NR)

ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Town Clerk, Deputy Town Clerk, Council Services and Support Manager

COUNCIL2026/12 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies had been received from Councillors Scicluna and Corfield.

Councillors Butler, Knight, Loxton and Apel were absent.

COUNCIL2026/13 DISPENSATION REQUESTS

A dispensation request had been received from RC regarding matters relating to CFT as they were a non-voting trustee appointment in their role as a CDC councillor.

Council RESOLVED to grant the dispensation.

COUNCIL2026/14 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

JK advised her family were members of the Racquets Club.

COUNCIL2026/15 DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Date of next ordinary meeting: Wednesday 11th February 2026 at 6.00pm

COUNCIL2026/16 PUBLIC BODIES (ADMISSION TO MEETINGS) ACT 1960

Council RESOLVED that the public and press be excluded from this meeting for agenda item COUNCIL2026/17 due to the confidential nature of the business to be transacted, namely confidential business matters with third parties.

COUNCIL2026/17 COMMUNITY ASSET TRANSFERS

Council considered the Town Clerk’s confidential report and RESOLVED to offer outline heads of terms on a like for like basis as currently provided by CDC, except that long lease terms of 100 years would be offered to all parties.

Due to the time constraints imposed on the process by CDC, Council additionally RESOLVED to delegate responsibility for finalising the final principles applied to the management of future lease negotiations with the various groups to a working group comprised of the Chairs of all the Committees and the Mayor, with the Clerk authorised to make final offers agreed by the working group to be reported back to Council at the next meeting on 11th February.

COUNCIL2026/18 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 19.27