Agenda

To receive any announcements from the Mayor and Chief Executive.

Group Business Managers to submit any apologies for absence.

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting of Council held on 25 February 2026.

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

To receive any Petitions from Members of the Council in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9.

Council 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.

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.

To receive the Minutes of the Meeting of West Yorkshire Combined Authority held on 4 December 2025.

To consider the report.

Contact: Martin Dearnley, Head of Audit and Risk

To consider the report.

Contact: Ruth Calladine, Head of Procurement

To consider the report.

Contact: Samantha Lawton, Service Director – Legal, Governance and Commissioning

To consider the report.

Contact: Leigh Webb, Head of Governance

To consider the report.

Contact: Ilyas Ramjan, Head of Major Projects

To consider the report.

Contact: Leigh Webb, Head of Governance

To receive, for information, the responses received to the following Motions, as agreed by Council on 17 December 2025 (i) Disabled bus access (ii) Growing epidemic of violence towards women and girls and (iii) Firework use, enforcement and community safety.

To receive written questions to the Leader, Cabinet Members, Chairs of Committees and Nominated Spokespersons in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12.

A schedule of written questions will be published. One supplementary oral question will be permitted.

To receive the Minutes of (i) Cabinet held on 2 December 2025 and 13 January 2026 and (ii) Cabinet Committee – Local issues held on 19 November 2025.

(i)             To receive a portfolio update from the Leader of the Council.

(ii)            To receive oral questions/comments to Cabinet Members on their Portfolios and relevant Cabinet Minutes;

-       The Leader of the Council (Councillor Pattison)

-       The Deputy Leader of the Council / Housing and Transport (Councillor Crook)

-       Adult Social Care and Corporate (Councillor Dad)

-       Children’s Services (Councillor Kendrick)

-       Communities and Environment (Councillor A U Pinnock)

-       Education (Councillor Rylah)

-       Finance and Regeneration (Councillor Turner)

-       Highways and Waste (Councillor Hawkins)

-       Public Health (Councillor Addy)

               i.         Corporate Governance and Audit Committee

              ii.         District Wide Planning Committee

             iii.         Health and Wellbeing Board

            iv.         Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee

              v.         Strategic Planning Committee

-       Appeals Panel (Councillor Longstaff)

-       Corporate Governance and Audit Committee (Councillor Taylor)

-       District Wide Planning Committee (Councillor Ullah)

-       Health and Wellbeing Board (Councillor Addy)

-       Licensing and Safety Committee - including Licensing and Regulatory Panel (Councillor Firth)

-       Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee (Councillor Burke)

-       Personnel Committee (Councillor Pattison)

-       Scrutiny Panel – Children’s (Councillor Ali)

-       Scrutiny Panel – Environment and Climate Change (Councillor Cooper)

-       Scrutiny Panel – Growth and Regeneration (Councillor Amin)

-       Scrutiny Panel – Health and Adult Social Care (Councillor J D Lawson)

-       Standards Committee (Councillor Armer)

-       Strategic Planning Committee (Councillor Homewood)

-       Kirklees Active Leisure (Councillor Sokhal)

-       One Adoption Joint Committee (Councillor Sewell)

-       West Yorkshire Combined Authority (Councillor Pattison)

-       West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee (Councillor McLoughlin)

-       West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority (Councillor O’Donovan)

-       West Yorkshire Joint Services Committee (Councillor Munir Ahmed)

-       West Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel (Councillor Lowe)

To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors Masood Ahmed, Darwan, Scott, Daji, H Zaman, A Zaman, Anwar, Kahut and Hussain;

“This Council notes that:

Motor neurone disease (MND) is one of the most devastating and unforgiving conditions imaginable. It advances with a cruel and relentless pace, leaving families little time to adjust to the profound changes it brings. A third of those diagnosed will die within a year; half within two. For those living with MND, every day truly matters.

In such circumstances, a safe and accessible home becomes far more than bricks and mortar: it becomes security, independence, dignity and comfort at a time when these are most fragile. Yet the swiftness with which MND progresses means that home adaptations must be provided not merely promptly, but with genuine urgency.

At present, Kirklees Council does not publish a fast-track process with defined, shortened statutory timescales for Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) applications. While it is acknowledged that urgent cases are prioritised through the Council’s triage system, this informal approach, however well-intentioned, does not offer the clarity, consistency or speed required by those whose needs can change dramatically in a matter of weeks.

The Motor Neurone Disease Association, in its report A Lifeline Not a Luxury, highlights examples of best practice across the country and recommends the creation of formal fast-track pathways for people with progressive and terminal illnesses. These systems ensure that vital adaptations are delivered swiftly, sparing families avoidable distress and preventing crises that carry greater emotional and financial costs.

This Council believes:

That every resident facing a progressive or terminal condition deserves a timely, compassionate and clearly defined route to the support they urgently require.

That early and decisive intervention preserves dignity, reduces avoidable hospital admissions, and protects individuals from becoming trapped in homes no longer suited to their rapidly changing needs.

And that Kirklees should adopt a standard worthy of its values—transparent, humane and fit for the realities of MND.

This Council therefore resolves:

To request that the matter be referred to the Council’s Scrutiny process and that the relevant Scrutiny Panel be requested to review the implementation of (i) to (iv) below;

(i)    To publish the Council’s fast-track process for the assessment, approval and delivery of Disabled Facilities Grant home adaptations for residents living with progressive or terminal conditions, including MND.

(ii)   To request that any necessary works and adaptions to support residents are carried out within a reasonable timeframe and as soon as is practically possible.

(iii)  To ensure that the fast-track process is transparent and accessible to residents, families and professionals, with clear guidance published on the Council’s website

(iv)To request that the Council works in close partnership with local health, social care, and care providers and patient representative organisations to ensure the Council collectively prioritises and responds to urgent health, housing and care needs arising for any residents experiencing any rapidly progressing life-limiting condition, including MND.

In adopting this motion, we affirm that in Kirklees, compassion is not optional,  ...  view the full agenda text for item 21:

To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors Masood Ahmed, Darwan, Scott, Daji, H Zaman, A Zaman, Anwar, and Hussain;

“This Council notes:

1)    That His Majesty’s Government is advancing proposals which may result in the introduction of a national digital identity system, thereby fundamentally altering the manner in which individuals interact with public services and the state.

2)    That national digital identity schemes give rise to serious concerns in respect of civil liberties, including the expansion of data collection, increased monitoring, and the potential for state or corporate surveillance.

3)    That there are well-documented risks relating to data security, breaches of privacy, and the prospect of “mission creep” once such systems are established.

4)    That there is no clear or compelling evidence that a national digital identity system would deliver benefits that are either necessary or proportionate for local communities, whilst the risks of exclusion and discrimination—particularly affecting residents without access to digital devices, reliable connectivity, or adequate digital literacy—are substantial.

5)    That previous attempts to introduce national identity cards in the United Kingdom were abandoned due to widespread concerns regarding cost, intrusiveness, and incompatibility with democratic principles.

This Council believes:

1)    That the right to live freely, without undue monitoring or surveillance by the state or private corporations, is a fundamental pillar of a democratic society.

2)    That national digital identity systems risk undermining public confidence, creating additional barriers for vulnerable residents, and normalising an excessive reliance on personal data.

3)    That access to essential public services should not be contingent upon the possession or use of digital identification.

4)    That local authorities have a duty to protect the privacy, dignity, and fundamental freedoms of the communities they serve.

This Council resolves:

1)    To request that the Leader of the Council, on behalf of Council, write to the Secretary of State for the Home Department (i) expressing this Council’s firm opposition to the introduction of any national digital identity scheme whether mandatory or voluntary (ii) setting out this Council’s opposition to national digital identity proposals and (iii) calling for such proposals to be withdrawn.

2)    To request that the Leader of the Council or the Chief Executive write to the Local Government Association (LGA), urging it to oppose the development, trial, or implementation of any national digital identity system that may erode civil liberties or exclude residents.

3)    To reaffirm this Council’s commitment to safeguarding residents’ privacy, autonomy, and access to public services without the requirement for digital identification.”

To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors Arshad, Hall, Bolt, Taylor, Bamford and R Smith;

“This Council recognises the vital role that green spaces and natural buffer zones play in shaping the character, setting, and distinct identity of towns and villages across Kirklees. These green boundaries safeguard biodiversity, contribute to climate resilience, enhance residents’ wellbeing, and preserve the historic pattern of our settlements.

Council further notes the increasing identification and use of so-called “grey belt land” for future development and expresses concern that, without clear and enforceable safeguards, such designations risk enabling incremental encroachment into the green boundaries that separate our communities. Council believes such encroachment would undermine the individuality of our towns and villages, increase pressure on local infrastructure, and contribute to unsustainable urban sprawl.

Council therefore resolves to:

1)    Reaffirm its commitment to protecting the green spaces, strategic gaps, and natural buffer zones that maintain the physical, visual, and environmental separation between Kirklees towns and villages.

2)    Ensure that the emerging Local Plan prioritises brownfield regeneration, vacant buildings, town centres and underutilised land within existing settlements for development.

3)    Require that officers incorporate, within the current and subsequent Local Plan reviews, explicit and measurable safeguards to prevent development that would reduce or erode the separation between settlements, including strengthened criteria for assessing applications within strategic gaps.

4)    Request that Cabinet brings forward a detailed report setting out:

-       the policy mechanisms available to reinforce permanent green boundaries between settlements;

-       how these protections will be applied consistently across Kirklees; and

-       recommendations for preventing settlement-coalescence, ensuring each community retains its unique identity and sense of place.”

To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors Scott, H Zaman, A Zaman, Anwar, Masood Ahmed, Hussain, Darwan and Daji;

“This Council notes that:

1)    Kirklees Council has approved a new communal grounds-maintenance service charge for council-housing estates, set at “up to £1 per week” for tenants.

2)    This charge applies only to certain households depending on estate layout and tenure, creating a real risk of a two-tier system where some residents pay extra for communal areas while neighbours on the same estate pay nothing.

3)    The introduction of this charge marks a major shift in principle, moving long-standing estate maintenance away from the Housing Revenue Account and onto a direct weekly tenant levy for impacted tenants.

4)    There is no safeguard stopping future administrations from increasing the charge beyond £1 per week.

5)    The garden waste removal service charge rising from £37.50 in 2019 to £56.65 in 2026 (a 51% increase) shows how quickly and quietly new charges can escalate once introduced.

This Council believes that:

1)    Any new tenant levy must be fair, transparent and justified, and must not create inequality between residents who share the same estate.

2)    Tenants are entitled to full clarity about why a new charge is being introduced, how it is calculated, and what protections exist against future increases.

3)    Before the charge is allowed to progress further, the council must be satisfied it does not disproportionately or unfairly impact council tenants.

This Council resolves to:

1) Request that Cabinet initiate an immediate review of the communal grounds-maintenance charge, examining:

   - The fairness of applying the charge selectively to tenants

   - The rationale for removing these services from the HRA

   - Whether the charge should be paused, amended, or withdrawn

   - What protections could be introduced to prevent future increases

2) Request that Cabinet submit the findings of the review to the most appropriate Scrutiny Panel for examination at the earliest available meeting.

3) Ensure that, as part of the review process, tenants are fully consulted, and that their experiences, concerns and preferences directly inform the review and its outcomes.”

To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors A Smith and Burke;

“This Council notes:

1)    In the 2021 Census, Kirklees was home to 8,942 people who reported that they had previously served in the regular UK Armed Forces;

2)    The obligations it owes to the armed forces community within Kirklees, as enshrined in the Armed Forces Covenant; that the armed forces community should not face disadvantage in the provision of services;

3)    That a number of military compensation schemes exist to recognise and compensate service personnel and their families, for the hardship, inconvenience or ongoing impact conditions, such as PTSD, limb or hearing loss;

4)    Whilst some benefits, such as Universal Credit, rightly disregard military compensation as income, others administered by or subject to the discretion of local authorities do not always do so. This means that some veterans must give up part of their compensation in order to access essential support. A 2022 Freedom of Information request by the Royal British Legion showed that nationally, only one in five (19%) of local authorities rightly disregarded all military compensation when assessing local benefit claims for Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support, Discretionary Housing Payments and Disabled Facilities Grants. In Kirklees, Discretionary Housing Payments are currently not disregarded; The Kirklees Armed Forces Covenant focuses on general support, housing, healthcare and integration, rather than explicitly referencing military compensation or its treatment in welfare means tests;

5)    There are over 1 million veterans nationally over the State Pension age with 146,000 estimated to be eligible for Pension Credit. However, current rules may deny them support if their military compensation is counted as income;

6)    Under the Armed Forces Covenant principles and statutory duty (Armed Forces Act 2021), councils must have due regard to these principles in housing, healthcare and education decisions. However, welfare benefit means tests are not covered by the legal duty and currently remain discretionary;

7)    The Royal British Legion ‘Credit their Service’ campaign exists to address the issue in the previous point, demanding an end to the treatment of military compensation as income by welfare benefit means test, as it results in many veterans and their families missing out on thousands of pounds each year. The Royal British Legion argue that it breaches the Armed Forces Covenant principle that veterans should face no disadvantage compared to civilians;

This Council believes that:

1)    No member of the armed forces community should be forced to give up their military compensation to access the same welfare support as their civilian counterparts;

2)    All compensation paid under any of the relevant military compensation schemes should be treated as such and not regarded as income when the local authority assesses applications for benefits over which they exercise discretion: Council Tax Support scheme, Housing Benefit, Discretionary Housing Payments and Disabled Facilities Grants. Rather it should be treated as intended, as a compensatory payment made in recognition of the often significant and life-changing service or sacrifice an individual has made in the course of their  ...  view the full agenda text for item 25:

To consider the following Motion in the names of: Councillors Munro and J C Lawson;

“This Council notes:

1)    Pubs are a vital part of our communities, providing social spaces, supporting local jobs and contributing to the local economy;

2)    Rising costs, including energy bills, supply chain pressures and tax, have placed many pubs under severe financial strain. In addition to rising operational costs and challenges, pubs are also contending with changing social habits. Many pub owners and campaign groups have also been vocal about the scaling back of the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief and the business rates rises announced in the Autumn Budget last year and have warned about huge rate hikes and pub closures;

3)    The number of pubs closing their doors permanently has hit more than one a day for the first time according to government statistics, continuing and accelerating a long-term downward trend;

4)    Local pubs across Kirklees and across the country face closure without urgent and significant government intervention.

This Council believes:

1)    That a cut in VAT (Value Added Tax) for hospitality businesses would provide immediate relief for pubs. A VAT cut would be one of the most powerful and effective forms of support the pub sector can receive, helping pubs to increase their profit margin and helping to offset rising wage, energy and supplier costs;

2)    That additional targeted support, such as energy cost assistance, is essential to ensure that pubs can survive.

This Council resolves:

1)    To call on the Government to implement an emergency 5% VAT cut for hospitality businesses, which includes pubs, reducing it from 20% to 15%. This would ease financial pressures on pubs and help stimulate growth;

2)    To urge the Government to provide additional targeted support for pubs, including additional measures to address rising energy costs. The Government recently announced that pubs in England will get a 15% cut to new business rates bills from April 2026 and will not see increases for two years, as well as announcing a review of how pubs are valued for business rates. This support is welcome, but it is short-term temporary relief and does not go far enough in tackling the structural issues facing the sector, including supply-chain inflation, rising energy costs and insurance premiums, higher wage bills and competition from supermarkets. Without deeper tax reforms, a review of VAT and alcohol duty, and a fairer rating system, pub closures will continue;

3)    To request the Leader of the Council to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, setting out Kirklees Council’s support for these measures;

4)    To work with local pub owners, community groups and trade bodies, to highlight the importance of pubs to Kirklees and our communities and to promote initiatives that sustain their future.”