Attendance

Kim Richards [KR] (RVA); Cllr Gareth Delany [GD] (RDC); Jenny Barnes [JB] Bexhill Foodbank; Niamh Smith (Rother Race Action Forum); Anne Rathbone [AR] (RDC); Anna Evett [AE] (RDC); Pierre Matate [PM] (HBC); Linda Seddon [LS] (Heart of Sidley); Angelica McMillan [AM] (FSN); Andrea Randall-Smith (Little Gate); Naomi Robinson [NR] (RVA); Tracey-Anne Cook (Little Gate);

Apologies

Andrew Barton (Hastings and Rother Rainbow Alliance); Caroline Aherne (Home Instead); Christine Madeley (Talking Newspaper); Claire Prime (Homecall); Cllr Abul Azad (ESCC); Emma Jones (Care for the Carers); Jim Stanford (Lunch Positive); Kathrin Weeks (St Michael’s Hospice); Liz Crew (Tech resort); Mandy Curtis (Rother Race Action Forum); Mark Dimmock (East Sussex Hearing); Meena Winter (Rother Race Action Forum); Sarah Jacques (Sussex Outreach Support); Christie Ward (Dance-Ability); Tracy Dighton (CAB); Terry Steeples (Rother Seniors Forum)

1. Chairs welcome and member introductions

KR introduced the meeting, and the members present introduced themselves. The meeting also accepted the draft minutes of the previous meeting.

2. Revised Terms of reference

KR took the meeting through the slides of the last meeting’s flipchart notes.

AM pointed out that we must be aware that EEDI is made up of many layers and an awareness of intersectionality is essential. KR went over examples of how EEDI can be embedded into council functions and asked how these meetings can be made more attractive to participants. Suggestions included: selecting accessible venues; offering an online option; offering incentives such as supplying food; ensuring they are impactful and valuable.

KR then asked the group whether the draft terms of reference (ToR) reflect the group’s functions and aims and took the meeting through the draft ToR, adding that it is not Rother Voluntary Action’s (RVA) place to speak on behalf of, rather to facilitate sharing of views. KR also asked the group if they feel the forum has the correct membership.

KR moved on to the ToR working arrangements, noting that there is no budget for meetings.

The dates of the next meetings are:

• Monday 9 February 2026 at 3pm
• Monday 8 June 2026 at 3pm
• Monday 12 October 2026 at 3pm

KR moved on to communications / influencing strategy and practice and asked is it better to bring people together thematically to share information. LS added that it is important to note that not everybody has online access.

KR posed the question “do the ToR reflect the group’s terms and function” with voting to take place by Post-It note on the flipboard charts.

Some questions are asked / points raised, including:

• Which groups are missing?
• Is a working group(s) needed to deliver some of the main group’s aims?
• Rather than working groups could champions be used?
• A good example of a working group was the RDC anti-poverty Forum

There was a short break to add Post-It notes to the flipcharts. The results are in Appendix A.

A brief discussion followed: GD asked about following up with people who sent their apologies to the meeting. It was noted that most people who had sent apologies also asked to be kept up to date.

PM asked if we know how many projects there are in Rother and was concerned that some may feel excluded, KR replied RVA has a mailing list of 400+and we can ensure they are aware of the forum and opportunities to engage.  we work to make them feel welcome.

AR spoke about the problems of finding a time / location that works for everyone. KR asked the forum to consider what does being a champion mean? PM pointed out that not all services are available all over Rother and people need to travel. AM added that there is a gap in accessibility / availability and that we need to identify key rural areas and go to them and recruit champions from them, also asking how do forum members know what is happening.

GD thought that we should think of the forum as a way to get feedback from people working in the community. KR asked if members of the forum would be happy to get information outside of the minutes, such as a regular email newsletter. An action was identified to distribute a list of organisations in the forum.

3. Local Government Update

AR posed the question: could this group help co-shape what the unitary will look like?

AR went on to outline what devolution and Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) were and gave an update.

AR continued that we need to make sure that EEDI is not lost in LGR and took the forum through the development of the One East Sussex (OES) consultation submission to central government. AR took the meeting through some slides (distributed with the meeting agenda) including a summary of findings from LGR engagement.

The forum did not raise any new issues due to LGR but was concerned that existing issues might be made worse or might get lost in the process. It was thought that the forum must stand up for good practice, show the council how things can / should be done and let RDC be a voice in the new council.

KR asked if the government is listening to RDC, both AE and AR assured her that they are.

PM emphasised his worry about local voices getting lost, adding how good policies come from listening to the grass roots, being grass roots led. AM added that people need a sense of belonging and identity.

GD added that the forum’s input is essential to LGR; we don’t know the final shape of LGR which will be consulted on during November / December / January. KR added that we need to know what forum members think before the forum can give feedback.

PM asked how can we get community representatives to the forum, GD thought that informal working groups are probably the solution. AR added that we can think of the forum as being in the middle of a web and we should use this to help people at the edges. NR added that it doesn’t have to be a group that comes to the forum, champions can be individuals such as community or religious representatives.

GD encouraged forum members to speak with others about LGR and feed back to the forum. LS said she will take LGR to her Arrival group and feedback. GD thought that LGR could be a way to get people to work together and continue that working together in other areas.

4. Member Updates

Heart of Sidley (LS)

They are proceeding with rebuilding Sidley Rec, hopefully it will be ready for the Sidley Festival in June

FSN (AM)

FSN is refreshing its EEDI strategy

Hastings Borough Council (PM)

He works in resettlement and HBC is supporting people at every step and helping with integration and helping them to get work, emphasising that people’s dignity is of paramount importance.

Bexhill and Battle Foodbank (JB)

They are working hard for people who have suffered hardship or poverty, working with stakeholders to build power for these people in the community.

Rother Voluntary Action (KR)

At the AGM in November RVA will reveal their new strategic priorities. They are still developing plans with partners for the VCSE Hub at 34 Devonshire Road. NR is doing trustee work and will update the forum on RVA  project to support Rother’s VCSE to develop their boards and trustees.

5. Next steps and close

LS asked if we could have a REEDI logo. Also, as the next meeting is not until February what happens with the LGR consultation. GD said that we could have a specific meeting to address that.

Actions

For anyone who was not at the meeting: please let the forum have any additional feedback on the draft terms of reference (sent out with these minutes). It might be helpful to review the feedback in Appendix A to see what has already been said.

For all EEDI Forum members: we would like to be able to share the group members’ contact details within the group. Please let us know if you consent to us doing this.

Appendix A: Flipchart Notes

Who’s missing? (suggestions from meeting attendees for additional participants)

• Kate – Space for Yew – Bexhill neurodivergent hub
• Lucy- Come as you are CIC
• Gillian B – Helping Hands, Robertsbridge
• Mosques
• Synagogues 
• Darvell community (Robertsbridge)
• Quaker groups
• Maitreya Buddhist Centre, Bexhill 
• Kingdom Hall, Jehova’s Witnesses, Bexhill
• Bexhill Masjid and Islamic Centre
• Eggtooth Project
• Who is missing? Towns and parishes, the county, is there a county EDI forum?
• Anti-poverty groups,
• Housing charities and housing associations (Southdown/HUG/WUH)
• Active Rother
• Age Friendly Rother

Working groups (which attendees would like to be involved in these?)

• Connect with VCSE EDI Alliance Group
• Little Gate (with a service user)
• Linda Seddon (for HOS?)
• Foodbank Community Development Lead
• FSN

Do the terms of reference reflect the group’s aims and function?

• Would it be helpful to make space for serious case reviews / learning?
• How are we ensuring young people are involved in this?
• Do people need more clarity in terms of responsibility as a member/champion?
• EEDI newsletter
• Rural representatives
• Yes, but may need some changes later
• Membership: All welcome
• How to communicate across the themes of work?
• Could we communicate updates on specific times of the year e.g. spring update, summer update etc (easier for people to follow and make time)
• RP in this forum should be really people representing their community and people they work for *statutory RP – where do they fit?
• Need feedback from other members – I’d like to ask some service users for feedback (Little Gate)
• If you can’t come, send a colleague
• Venue: Hold at least one meeting somewhere else
• Make it clear that groups can contribute in advance if they can’t attend
• Make online joining clearer and easier
• This forum should identify existing VCSE organisations in Rother, to avoid risk of excluding some other small organisations
• 1 meeting online a year
• Not everyone is online