Agenda and minutes

Venue: Virtual Meeting - online. View directions

Contact: Carol Tague  Email: carol.tague@kirklees.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

68.

Membership of Committee

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

Minutes:

All members of the Committee were present.

69.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 241 KB

To approve the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 9 March 2020.

Minutes:

The minutes of the Committee meeting held on 9 March 2020 were agreed as a correct record.

 

The following matters arising were reported.

 

-      Leader of the Council - Update on Priorities 2019/20 (Page 4) – it was clarified that planning was an administrative decision making process not a quasi-judicial process.

 

-      Update on the Climate Emergency Working Party (Page 7, Rec 2) – the review referred to was an information collection exercise by the Society of Municipal Treasurers in February, so was a snapshot of the situation at the time and limited to those LAs who responded. 

 

All other recommendations had been noted and would be considered as the programme is developed.

 

-      Annual Review of Flood Risk Management Action Plan (Page 11) - Covid–19 restrictions had hindered engagement activities to develop new initiatives like the Flood Warden and Sandbag initiative. If restrictions continued then the Service would look to explore community engagement using online tools such as Skype.  However, the risk of digital exclusion would need to be considered.

70.

Interests pdf icon PDF 20 KB

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

Minutes:

Cllr Andrew Marchington declared an interest in relation to Item 9, in that he was a member of the KNH Board but had a dispensation to engage in matters of Council business.

71.

Admission of the Public

Most debates take place in public. This only changes when there is a need to consider certain issues, for instance, commercially sensitive information or details concerning an individual. You will be told at this point whether there are any items on the Agenda which are to be discussed in private.

Minutes:

All items were considered in public session.

72.

Deputations/Petitions

The Committee will receive any petitions and hear any 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 hand in a petition at the meeting but that petition should relate to something on which the body has powers and responsibilities.

 

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10 (2), Members of the Public should provide at least 24 hours’ notice of presenting a deputation.

Minutes:

No deputations or petitions were received.

73.

Public Question Time

Due to current covid-19 restrictions, Members of the Public may submit written questions to the Committee.  Questions should be emailed to executive.governance@kirklees.gov.ukno later than 1000 am on 8 June 2020.

 

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 51(10) each person may submit a maximum of 4 written questions.

 

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11(5), the period allowed for the asking and answering of public questions will not exceed 15 minutes. 

Minutes:

There were no public questions received.

74.

Request to Re-establish an Ad-Hoc Scrutiny Panel pdf icon PDF 154 KB

The Panel to consider a request to re-establish the Ad Hoc Scrutiny Panel - Future arrangements for the Council’s Residential Housing Stock

Minutes:

The Committee considered a request to re-establish the Ad Hoc Scrutiny Panel - Future arrangements for the Council’s Residential Housing Stock

 

RESOLVED: 

 

1.    That the Ad Hoc Scrutiny Panel - Future arrangements for the Council’s Residential Housing Stock be re-established and the Chair of the Economy and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Panel be invited to attend any future meetings of the Ad Hoc Panel; and

2.    The terms of reference outlined be agreed.

75.

Allocation of Scrutiny Co-optees for the 2020/21 municipal year pdf icon PDF 231 KB

To consider the allocation of Scrutiny Co-optees within the scrutiny structure for the 2020/21 municipal year

 

Minutes:

The Committee received a report which sought approval for the proposed allocation of Scrutiny Co-optees for the 2020/21 municipal year. 

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the allocation of co-optees, as set out in Section 2 of the report, be approved.

76.

Devolution pdf icon PDF 334 KB

Jacqui Gedman, Chief Executive and Julie Muscroft, Service Director – Legal, Governance and Commissioning, to provide an update on the Devolution consultation process.

 

The following documentation is available via the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s website (https://www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/) and attached for information:

 

·       West Yorkshire Mayoral Scheme

·       West Yorkshire Governance Review

·       Devolution Consultation Paper Version for ‘Your Voice’

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received an update from Julie Muscroft, Service Director – Legal, Governance and Commissioning on the Devolution consultation process.  Councillor Shabir Pandor, Leader of the Council and Jacqui Gedman, Chief Executive were also in attendance for this item.

 

The following key points were noted:-

 

-      The consultation was being run by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA).  WYCA had produced the supporting plan, materials and activity log of when specific actions would take place.

-      Kirklees Council had a devolution link on the website to the WYCA site with access to the survey.

-      The survey started on 26 May 2020 and after 1 week, 43% of the overall target of a 1,000 responses had been received, with circa 600 responses to date.  The response rate from Wakefield had been especially strong and Kirklees had asked WYCA to work with the communication teams in each of the districts to look at what had worked particularly well, to ensure that this could be replicated across all authorities.  Circa 9% of responses received in the first week were from Kirklees.

-      IPSOS Mori were due to carry out a mid-point review and once completed there would be an opportunity to start in depth discussions on specific themes and issues.

-      The consultation would finish on 19 July 2020 and the subsequent analysis would be concluded on 23 August 2020.  A first report and analysis would be published circa 24 August 2020, with consideration of the final draft report by partner councils in early September.  This would then go to Executive and Council meetings with the subsequent submission of the report and the outcomes from it, sent to the Secretary of State.  It was expected that the draft order and final consent would be received by the end of October / beginning of November, with a view to that going back to Cabinet and Council for a final decision.

-      WYCA had held a scrutiny session on 22 May 2020 and a further session was scheduled for 10 July 2020.

-      There were separate pieces of work ongoing which would be reported back in relation to precept powers and funding, alongside other issues such as how concurrent powers would work, the role of the proposed deputy mayor, increased emphasis on tackling the climate emergency and the Police and Crime Panel.

 

The Committee asked a number of questions and a summary of responses is noted below:-

 

-      Political balance would be derived from how the electorate of West Yorkshire had voted as an entirety.  Councillor Pandor outlined that Kirklees would continue to argue for as wide a representation as possible and wished to reassure the Committee that there would be more involvement from councillors across the region, adding that the key rationale was the unlocking of millions of pounds of investment.

 

-      It was noted that the Governance Review indicated that there could be 2 Deputy Mayors, including one for policing and crime and there was no reference to this in the consultation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 76.

77.

Council Priorities and the Covid-19 Response

Councillor Peter McBride, Deputy Leader of the Council and Jacqui Gedman, Chief Executive, to provide an update.

Minutes:

The Committee received a verbal update from Councillor Shabir Pandor, Leader of the Council in relation to the Council’s priorities and the Covid-19 response. Jacqui Gedman, Chief Executive was also in attendance for this item.

 

Key points of note included:-

 

-      The scale of the challenges faced were acknowledged and the work of staff, local councillors, partnerships and the voluntary community sector in responding to the national crisis at a local level was highlighted.

-      It was anticipated that the recession would be the hardest in living memory and it was critical for partnership working to continue.

-      In terms of financial resources, the LGA were developing a business case to ensure that local government could continue to move forward.  Ambitions in relation to mental health, domestic violence, children’s services, adults social care and economic recovery would need government commitment and resources.

-      The easing of lockdown and the dangers of complacency and a second spike were highlighted.

-      Government had recognised that local government was at the vanguard of change and a Local Outbreak Control Board was being developed.  However, the right data and clarification of powers was required, as were the resources to drive that agenda forward.

-      Cabinet portfolios has been revised to oversee the immediate Covid-19 response and recovery strategy and an overview of this work was given.

-      The Chief Executive added that this was a time were the Council had pushed boundaries beyond what was thought possible and it was important to build on the positive work as part of the recovery. 

 

The Committee asked a number of questions and a summary of responses is noted below:-

 

-      With regards to primary schools, it was noted that it was important to work with schools, parents and pupils, to provide reassurance and to listen to professional and government advice and focus was on what was best for the child.

 

-      In terms of economic recovery, work was ongoing at a West Yorkshire level and strands included businesses and how to support them; employment and skills; environment and how to capture the environmental benefits that arisen during the Covid crisis and continue with the carbon challenge; local area investment; and infrastructure, including re-evaluation through learning.

 

It was also noted that work was taking place at local level to review town masterplanning to ensure that the plans remained the best way forward.

 

-      Inequality was a key priority and it was important to review the impact of the Covid-19 experience.  Analysis of the recently published Public Health study was being undertaken.  Whilst there had previously been a strong focus on inclusivity and diversity, the Council was keen be bold and brave in this area and look at the impact of people’s real lived experiences. 

 

-      With regards to vulnerable children and safeguarding, a member of the Committee advised that they had attended the Children’s Improvement Board and was impressed by the work that had taken place to ensure that the most vulnerable children were kept protected.  The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 77.

78.

Work Programme pdf icon PDF 308 KB

To consider items for inclusion in the Scrutiny Work Programme

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered its forward agenda plan and future meeting arrangements.   

 

RESOLVED: That

 

1.    The schedule of virtual meeting dates outlined be agreed; and

2.    Items in relation to (i) Cohesion; (ii) Climate Change; (iii) Domestic Violence Strategy Update; and (iv) Place Partnerships working and the  response to Covid-19, be added to the relevant Scrutiny Panel work programmes.