Agenda and decisions

To receive any announcements by the Mayor and Chief Executive.

The Mayor advised Council of the civic reception and events scheduled to take place in tribute to participants of the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics.

The Mayor paid tribute to Dr David Smith, Director of Resources, who was shortly to retire following a career in Local Government of over 30 years and having joined Kirklees in February 2011. Tributes were also paid by Councillors Sheard, D Hall, N Turner and Richards.

The Mayor presented Councillor Paul Kane with a commemorative book in acknowledgement of his Mayoral Year, 2015-2016. 

Councillor C Scott acknowledged the success of students from St John Fisher Catholic High School, Dewsbury, in winning the Girls Year 10 Rugby School Championships 2016.

Group Business Managers to submit any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Armer, Greaves, Light, Lowe, O’Neill, Sarwar and Sims.

To receive the Minutes of the previous meeting of Council, held on 29 June 2016.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 29 June 2016 were approved as a correct record subject to the inclusion of Councillors Asif, Fadia, Eastwood, Homewood, Kuashik, Pervaiz, Smith and Walker within the list of attendees. 

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

Councillors Calvert and A U Pinnock declared an ‘other’ interest in Agenda Item 12 (Question 3), on the grounds that they are Board members of the Deighton and Brackenhall Initiative.

Any Member of the Council can submit a petition, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9.

No petitions were submitted.

Council will receive any petitions from members of the public, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9(1) or will receive any deputations, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10.

Council received the following deputations;

(a)      Alisa Devlin (on behalf of Huddersfield Town Centre Action Group)

(b)      Mike Forster (on behalf of Unison/Hands off HRI)

Council will receive any questions from members of the public, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.

Council received questions from;

(a)      Alisa Devlin in regards to the decline of trade in Huddersfield Town Centre following the introduction of bus gates.

(b)      Alan Lansdowne in regard to the briefing given to Members on the Sustainability and Transformation Plan.

To receive the Minutes of the previous meeting of West Yorkshire Combined Authority, held on31 March and 23 June 2016, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 5.

That the Minutes of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority held on 31 March and 23 June 2016 be received and noted.

To consider the appointment of Parish/Town Council representatives, and Co-opted members, to Kirklees Rural District Committee.

Contact – Julie McDowell, Area and Neighbourhood Action Co-ordinator

That the following representatives be appointed to Kirklees Rural District Committee for the 2016-2017 Municipal Year;

Richard Brook and Maggie Blanshard (Denby Dale Parish Council)

Charles Kaye and Judith Roberts (Holme Valley Parish Council)

Richard Noon and Paul White (Meltham Town Council)

Raymond Franks and Raymond Bray (Kirkburton Parish Council)

Callum Gibson, John Shone, Jean Margetts (Colne Valley Ward Co-optees)

Karen Armitage and Michael Moores (Golcar Ward Co-optees)

To appoint the Chair of Health and Wellbeing Board for the remainder of the 2016/2017 municipal year.

Contact – Andrea Woodside, Principal Governance Officer

That Councillor Viv Kendrick be appointed as Chair of Health and Wellbeing Board for the 2016-2017 municipal year.

To receive a presentation from Dr Andrew Mycock, Chair of Kirklees Democracy Commission

Contact – Carl Whistlecraft, Head of Governance and Democratic Services

Council received and noted a presentation from Dr Andrew Mycock on the work of the Kirklees Democracy Commission. 

To receive written questions to the Leader and Cabinet in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12.

(Note: The deadline for the submission of written questions is 10.00am on the day prior to the Council meeting)

The schedule of submitted written questions will tabled at the meeting.

(1)      Questions by Councillor Burke to the Cabinet Member for Asset Strategy, Resources and Creative Kirklees (Councillor G Turner)

“Can the Cabinet Member provide an update on the Library restructure?”

Cabinet Member replied thereto.

(2)      Questions by Councillor Wilkinson to the Cabinet Member for Housing and Enforcement Management (Councillor Mather)

“A resident of Lascelles Hall in my ward wishes to dispose of his garden refuse at the Vine Street tip. He has been refused access on the grounds that the trailer that he uses is now too long. The box on the trailer is just over 2 metres in length, and the limit as per the Kirklees council web site is “6 feet”, although he has been told that there is some leeway, he is still outside the 6 feet limit. I note that vans up to 3 metric tonnes are acceptable, as are camper vans and similar up to 2 metres tall. So if we “went metric” and allowed trailers up to 2 metres – plus a small amount of leeway, his trailer could be accepted?

So here we have a responsible resident doing what he has always done, and yet being thwarted by petty regulations demanding that imperial measurement be used as regards the length of an acceptable trailer. Please bring an end to this nonsense and allow trailers up to 2 metres plus.

Is it still legal to use imperial measurements whilst still a part of the EU?”

Cabinet Member replied thereto.

(3)      Questions by Councillor Wilkinson to the Cabinet Member for Asset Strategy, Resources and Creative Kirklees (Councillor G Turner)

“Fresh Horizons went into liquidation in March 2016 owing the Council £330k, Deighton & Brackenhall Initiative £185k and Calderdale Council £285k. The Statement of Affairs was signed off by A Briggs on 14 March 2016 disclosing an estimated deficiency of £1,138,212 before the costs of winding up. Fresh Horizons’ accounts at 31 March 2015 showed that it was insolvent at that date.

•         What did Fresh Horizons owe the Council at 31 March 2015?

•         What measures did the Council take to protect rate payers’ money between March 2015 and March 2016?

•         And why did the Council allow itself such an exposure to financial risk?”

Cabinet Member replied thereto.

(4)      Questions by Councillor McGuin to the Cabinet Member for Economy, Skills, Transportation and Planning (Councillor McBride)

“Is the Council prepared to do an assessment of the effectiveness of the bus gates in the centre of Huddersfield?”

Cabinet Member replied thereto.

(5)      Questions by Councillor Smith to the Cabinet Member for Economy, Skills, Transportation and Planning (Councillor McBride)

“By what date will the fines for motorists caught out by the Bus Gates pay for the costs of the installation of the scheme?”

Cabinet Member replied thereto.

(6)      Questions by Councillor A Pinnock to the Cabinet Member for Housing and Enforcement Management (Councillor Mather)

“Can I ask the Cabinet Member to explain the current waste recycling rates in Kirklees; particularly in view of the high reputation that the  ...  view the full decision text for item 12:

(An information report will be circulated prior to the meeting)

(In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 5(5) consideration of this item must commence by 7.00pm)

Council received a presentation from Councillor Hill, and held a Key Discussion, on Child Sexual Exploitation.