Agenda and decisions

To receive any announcements by the Mayor and Chief Executive.

Council observed a minute of silence in recognition of the attack at Westminster which had taken place earlier in the day.

The Mayor provided Councillors with a reminder of expected standards of conduct in the Council Chamber, which was re-iterated by the Chief Executive.

The Mayor advised that the consideration of Agenda Item 11 was to be deferred and that Agenda Items 21 and 22 would be considered following Agenda Item 10.

Group Business managers will report any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Cooper, Lees-Hamilton, A U Pinnock, Sarwar, Stubley and K Taylor.

To receive the Minutes of the previous meeting of Council, held on 15 February 2017.

Approved as a correct record.

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.

Councillor Hill declared an ‘other’ interest in Agenda Items 8 and 21 on the grounds that her partner is employed by West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

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

Item not considered due to termination of meeting.

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

Item not considered due to termination of meeting.

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

Item not considered due to termination of meeting.

To receive the Minutes of the previous meeting of West Yorkshire Combined Authority, held on 29 September and 1 December 2016, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 5.

Item not considered due to termination of meeting.

To consider the report.

Contact: Samantha Lawton, Senior Legal Officer

Item not considered due to termination of meeting.

To consider the report.

Contact : Carl Whistlecraft, Head of Governance and Democratic Services

That the recommendations of the Members Allowances Independent Review Panel, as set out in the considered report, be approved.

To consider the report.

Contact: Simon Taylor, Head of Development Management

Item deferred.

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.

Item not considered due to termination of meeting.

To receive for information; The minutes of Cabinet held on 03 October, 12 October, 15 November, 28 November, and 13 December 2016 17 January, 31 January and 07 February 2017 and Cabinet Committee – Local Issues held on 19 October 2016 and 22 February 2017.

Item not considered due to termination of meeting.

(a)            To receive the following updates from Cabinet Members;  

Councillor Khan – Highways and Neighbourhoods

Councillor Mather – Housing and Enforcement Management

b)       Oral Questions/Comments to Cabinet Members on their Portfolios and relevant Cabinet Minutes;

a)    Highways and Neighbourhoods (Councillor Khan)

b)    Housing and Enforcement Management (Councillor Mather)

c)    Economy, Skills, Transportation and Planning (Councillor McBride)

d)    Strategy and Strategic Resources, New Council and Regional   Issues (Councillors Pandor and Sheard)

e)    Asset Strategy, Resources and Creative Kirklees (Councillor G Turner)

f)     Community Cohesion and Schools (Councillor Ahmed)

g)    Family Support and Child Protection (Councillor Hill)

h)   Adults, Health and Activity to Improve Health (Councillor Kendrick)

Item not considered due to termination of meeting.

(a)            Appeals Panel

(b)            Corporate Governance and Audit Committee

(c)            Corporate Parenting Board

(d)            District Committee – Batley and Spen

(e)            District Committee – Dewsbury and Mirfield

(f)       District Committee – Huddersfield

(g)      District Committee – Kirklees Rural

(h)      Health and Well Being Board

(i)       Licensing and Safety Committee

(j)       Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee

(k)      Personnel Committee

(l)       Policy Committee

(m)     Strategic Planning Committee

Item not considered due to termination of meeting.

To receive written questions to Chairs of Committees and Nominated Spokespersons in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12 (1)

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

Item not considered due to termination of meeting.

(a)      Appeals Panel (Councillor Armer)

(b)      Corporate Governance and Audit Committee (Councillor Richards)

(c)      Corporate Parenting Panel (Councillor Hill)

(d)      District Committee - Batley and Spen (Councillor Lowe)

(e)      District Committee - Dewsbury and Mirfield (Councillor Dad)

(f)       District Committee - Huddersfield (Councillor Ullah)

(g)      District Committee - Kirklees Rural (Councillor Watson)

(h)      Employee Relations Sub Committee (Councillor Pandor)

(i)       Health and Wellbeing Board (Councillor Kendrick)

(j)       Licensing and Safety Committee - including Licensing Panel and Regulatory Panel (Councillor A U Pinnock)

(k)      Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee (Councillor Stewart-Turner)

(l)       Personnel Committee (Councillor Pandor)

(m)     Planning Sub Committee - Heavy Woollen Area (Councillor Kane)

(n)      Planning Sub Committee - Huddersfield Area (Councillor Lyons)

(o)      Policy Committee (Councillor Walker)

(p)      Strategic Planning Committee (Councillor Sokhal)

(q)      Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing (Councillor Smaje)

(r)       Kirklees Active Leisure (Councillor Sokhal)

(s)      West Yorkshire Combined Authority (Councillor Sheard)

(t)       West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority (Councillor O’Donovan)

(u)      West Yorkshire Joint Service Committee (Councillor Pandor)

(v)      West Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel (Councillor Hussain)

Item not considered due to termination of meeting.

To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors D Hall, Bolt, J Taylor, Patrick, Armer, Watson and Smith;

‘This Council notes the difficulty that residents of Kirkburton and Denby Dale wards have in accessing Council Planning Sub-Committee Meetings held in Dewsbury Town Hall. It recognises that without access to private transport it can take several hours to get to Dewsbury, often by having to change in Huddersfield Town Centre. It notes that in all other Council matters these wards are recognised as part of Kirklees Rural District and that in line with the Council's desire to encourage the public to access and engage with Council decisions the move of the planning applications for these wards be determined in Huddersfield rather than Dewsbury.

This Council resolves that the current arrangements for Planning decisions be amended to allow for one Strategic Planning Committee and 2 Planning Sub-Committees, a Heavy Woollen Planning Sub Committee based in Dewsbury covering the Birstall and Birkenshaw, Cleckheaton, Heckmondwike, Liversedge and Gomersal, Batley East, Batley West, Dewsbury East, Dewsbury West, Dewsbury South and Mirfield wards and a Huddersfield Planning Sub Committee covering the Lindley, Colne Valley, Holme Valley North, Holme Valley South, Crosland Moor and Netherton, Golcar, Ashbrow, Greenhead, Newsome, Dalton, Almondbury, Kirkburton and Denby Dale Wards.

This Council therefore instructs the Assistant Director (Legal, Governance and Monitoring) to take appropriate steps to make the necessary changes to the constitution required to implement the amendments, including the submission of a report to Corporate Governance and Audit Committee for consideration, prior to the implementation of the changes at the beginning of the 2017/2018 municipal year.’

Item not considered due to termination of meeting.

To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors McBride and Mather;

‘As the Government concede in their recent white paper that the housing market is broken, this Council asks the Government to legislate to stop land-banking, reverse the policy of selling council houses and fund both local authorities and housing associations to provide the numbers of affordable houses which are urgently required nationwide.

This Council want to implement its plan to build 31,500 houses in the next 15 years with the aim to produce at least 1/3 of these affordable to the wider housing market. This may in part respond to current demand of 12,000 seeking council housing.

We therefore urge the government to remove the disincentive of the Right to Buy, remove the cap on borrowing to spend on housing and for government itself to invest via HCA in social affordable housing.

We for our part will bring forward the necessary land for the needs of all sectors of the housing market to fulfil our part of the bargain to which the white paper refers.

The motion asks that the leaders of all our political groups sign a joint letter to the relevant Secretaries of State, and campaign through local MPs and the LGA.’

Item not considered due to termination of meeting.

To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors Burke, Eastwood, Lawson, Marchington, A Pinnock, K Pinnock, N Turner and Wilkinson;

‘This Council:

1)         Recognises that the financial outlook for local schools is likely to deteriorate as cost pressures increase;

2)         Regrets the phasing out of the Education Services Grant and its impact on schools and the Council;

3)         Calls upon HM Government to increase the schools budget in order to prevent a serious detrimental impact on class size, support for pupils with special needs or valuable extra-curricular activities;

4)         Asks the Chief Executive to write to all local MPs, urging them to raise the Council’s concerns with the Secretary of State for Education.’

Item not considered due to termination of meeting.

To consider the establishment of the Regional Issues Working Party.

Contact: Richard Farnhill, Governance Manager

1)      That approval be given to the establishment of the Regional Issues Working Party in accordance with the Membership and Terms of Reference as detailed within the report.

2)      That all of the Council’s representatives on West Yorkshire Combined Authority meetings be invited to attend meetings of the Working Party.

To consider the updated reallocation of seats.

Contact: Richard Farnhill, Governance Manager

That the updated allocation of seats as detailed within the considered report be approved.