Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence from those Members who are unable to attend the meeting.

Apologies were received from Councillor Itrat Ali.

Members will be asked to say if there are any items on the Agenda in which they have any disclosable pecuniary interests or any other interests, which may prevent them from participating in any discussion of the items or participating in any vote upon the items.

No declarations of interest were received.

Most agenda items take place in public. This only changes where there is a need to consider exempt information, as contained at Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. You will be informed at this point which items are to be recommended for exclusion and to be resolved by the Committee.

All items were considered in public session.

The Committee will receive any petitions and/or deputations from members of the public. A deputation is where up to five people can attend the meeting and make a presentation on some particular issue of concern. A member of the public can also submit a petition at the meeting relating to a matter on which the body has powers and responsibilities.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10, members of the public must submit a deputation in writing, at least three clear working days in advance of the meeting and shall subsequently be notified if the deputation shall be heard. A maximum of four deputations shall be heard at any one meeting.

No deputations or petitions were submitted.

To receive any public questions.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11, the period for the asking and answering of public questions shall not exceed 15 minutes.

Any questions must be submitted in writing at least three clear working days in advance of the meeting.

No questions were asked.

The Portfolio Holder for Corporate has been invited to attend the meeting to set out her priorities for 2025/2026.

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Councillor Nosheen Dad, the Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Corporate. gave a presentation in respect of her priorities for 2025/26.

Also present was Andy Simcox, Service Director for Strategy and Innovation. Councillor Dad explained that she had three main priorities within the Corporate element of her portfolio:

Supporting the most vulnerable in Kirklees:

Support was offered to residents in financial crisis working closely with partners, such as third sector organisations, to maximise the impact. This included the effective use of the Household Support Fund (HSF) which facilitated the provision of targeted support and advice services to help people improve their financial circumstances through prevention and building resilience. The HSF was due to be replaced by the new Crisis and Resilience Fund from April 2026.

Championing an inclusive workplace:

There was a commitment to making the Council a great place to work by ensuring all staff felt heard, valued, and included. This included working collaboratively with staff, trade unions, and employee networks to support open communication and meaningful participation. As an example, Project Search was a collaborative, supported internship programme, delivered alongside partners, and designed to help young people with learning disabilities and/or autism spectrum conditions transition from education into employment.

Delivery of an inclusive and accessible customer service to all our communities:

To ensure that all residents could easily access the services they need through Kirklees Direct (the Council’s Customer Contact Centre). The Customer Access Programme was ongoing which focused on improvements for customers and addressing their needs.

Questions and comments were invited from Committee Members, with the following issues being covered:

·       The parameters of the portfolio had changed from last year. There was continuity, in particular, in respect of supporting the most vulnerable and championing an inclusive workplace for all staff.

·       In terms of welfare changes, and the potential impact on benefits and wider services associated with the replacement of the Household Support Fund (HSF) with the Crisis and Resilience Fund in April 2026, it was explained that detailed guidance was still awaited from the Government. Forward planning work was being undertaken and the changes would be factored into the programme to ensure that nobody fell behind.

·       There was an awareness of the impact of transition on residents who might not be eligible under new criteria and ensuring that those that needed extra support were safeguarded as much as possible.

·       The hope was that the difference was focussed mainly on the change in approach in terms of building resilience within communities whilst supporting them.

·       Further information could be presented once the detail was available, although the timescale between the guidance being received and implementation may be tight.

·       There was a very dedicated central advice team which assisted residents to identify any benefits that they were entitled to or other funding that they could access. The Council also worked very closely with third sector organisations on this issue. Ward Councillors who were aware of residents needing support should encourage them to get in touch with the Council’s team  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

The Chairs of each of the four standing Scrutiny Panels, listed below, will introduce their initial Work Programme for 2025/26:

-          Children’s

-          Environment and Climate Change

-          Growth and Regeneration

-          Health and Adult Social Care

The Committee will also give consideration to its Work Programme for 2025/26.

Contact: Sheila Dykes – Principal Governance Officer

The Chair introduced the Committee’s Work Programme for 2025/26.

The Chairs of each of the four standing Scrutiny Panels below, introduced their initial Work Programmes for 2025/26:

- Children’s

- Environment and Climate Change

- Growth and Regeneration

- Health and Adult Social Care

RESOLVED -

(1)  That the Scrutiny Panel Work Programmes for 2025/26 be agreed.

(2)  That the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee Work Programme for 2025/26 be approved.

(3)  That the Lead Members be thanked for introducing their Work Programmes and that progress updates be given at future meetings.

The Chair provided an update in respect of the Armed Forces Covenant, which had been discussed at the May meeting. Members had recently visited Tommy’s Lounge, along with the relevant Cabinet Member; this had proved to be a very interesting and worthwhile visit. He had requested that he be updated in respect of the bid for funding to develop the facility into a ‘one-stop shop’ to assist veterans. In relation to the Committee’s recommendation that all Councillors should take every opportunity to raise awareness of the Armed Forces Covenant and to encourage local businesses and organisations in their area to sign, a briefing note was in development to assist them in this.