Agenda and decisions

Venue: Council Chamber - Town Hall, Huddersfield. View directions

Contact: Andrea Woodside  Email: andrea.woodside@kirklees.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1:

Announcements by the Mayor and Chief Executive

To receive any announcements from the Mayor and Chief Executive

Decision:

The Mayor advised Council of some events that were taking place  in recognition of Local Democracy Week, and also advised Members that they had each been provided with a ‘Councillor Toolkit’ which had been produced by Kirklees Youth Council. Council were informed that Kirklees Youth Councillors would be available to answer any questions regarding the use of the toolkit.

 

The Service Director – Legal, Governance and Monitoring, advised of the restrictions on voting relating to Agenda Item 8 in accordance with Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

 

Council were also advised that a Composite Motion had been submitted in respect of Agenda Items 18 and 21, which had been added to the Agenda as Item 22.

 

2:

Apologies for absence

To receive any apologies for absence.

Decision:

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Akhtar, Cooper, D Firth, E Firth, N Turner and Sarwar.

 

3:

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 209 KB

To receive the Minutes of Council held on 13 September 2017.

Decision:

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 13 September 2017 were approved as a correct record.

 

4:

Declaration of Interests pdf icon PDF 22 KB

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.

Decision:

Councillors Ahmed, Allison, D Hall, Hill, Hughes, Light, Lowe, Marchington, O’Donovan, Pandor, Scott and Smith declared an ‘other’ interest in Agenda Items 18 and 21 (Item 22) on the grounds that either they, or a family member, were employed within the public sector.

 

5:

Petitions (from Members of the Council)

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

Decision:

No petitions were received.

 

6:

Deputations/Petitions (from Members of the Public)

The Council 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.

Decision:

Council received deputations from (a) Alisa Devlin, on behalf of Huddersfield Town Centre Action Group, in relation to Agenda Item 10 and (b) Peter Davies, on behalf of GMB Union, in relation to Agenda Items 18 and 21 (Item 22).

 

7:

Public Question Time

The Council will hear any questions from the general public.

 

Decision:

Council received a question from Alisa Devlin, on behalf of Huddersfield Town Centre Action Group, in regards to the content of the report at Agenda Item 10.

 

8:

Council Budget Update Report 2018/2022 - Reference from Cabinet pdf icon PDF 160 KB

To consider the report.

 

Contact: Eamonn Croston, Strategic Finance Manager

 

Decision:

1) That the updated general fund revenue, HRA and capital budget plans rolled forward into the MTFP update over the 2018-2022 period be noted.

 

2) That the underlying cost and funding assumptions underpinning the updated plans at this stage be noted.

 

3) That approval be given to the budget planning framework, as set out within the considered report.

 

4) That approval be given to the flexible capital receipts strategy, as set out within the considered report.  

 

5) That approval be given to the corporate budget timetable and approach, as set out within the considered report.

 

6) That approval be given to the budget consultation approach and timetable, as set out within the considered report.

 

9:

Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee - Huddersfield Town Centre Accessibility Scheme (Bus Gates) Findings Report pdf icon PDF 308 KB

To receive the report.

 

Contact: Penny Bunker, Governance and Democratic Engagement Manager

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

That the report be received and the findings of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee, as set out within the report, be noted.

 

10:

Town Centre Working Party Report pdf icon PDF 317 KB

To receive the report.

 

Contact: Andrea Woodside, Governance Officer

Additional documents:

Decision:

1) That the report be received and noted.

 

2) That Cabinet be asked to give consideration to the recommendations as set out within the report.

 

11:

Written Questions to the Leader, Cabinet Members, Chairs of Committees and Nominated Spokespersons pdf icon PDF 61 KB

To receive written questions to the Leader, Cabinet Members, Chairs of Committees and Nominated Spokespersons in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12/12(1)

 

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

 

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

 

 

Decision:

Question by Councillor Smith to The Leader of the Council

(Councillor Sheard)

 

““In light of the recent increase in violence in the town centre after dark, tragically demonstrated last week by the death of Graham Bell from Dalton outside McDonalds, can you please advise Council as to the steps being taken to address this issue?”

 

(The Leader of the Council referred the question to the Chair of Licensing and Safety Committee)

 

The Chair of Licensing and Safety Committee (Councillor Pattison) replied thereto.

 

 

Question by Councillor J Taylor to The Cabinet Member for Corporate Services (Councillor G Turner)

 

“Can Cllr Turner update Council on the Labour Cabinet’s proposed timescale for the public consultation on Libraries?”

 

The Cabinet Member replied thereto.

 

 

Questions by Councillor Smith to The Cabinet Member for Economy

(Councillor McBride)

 

“Can Cllr McBride advise what the Cabinet’s position is on an application for Huddersfield to become a City?”

 

The Cabinet Member to replied thereto.

 

12:

Minutes of Cabinet pdf icon PDF 190 KB

To receive for information; the minutes of the meetings of Cabinet held on 27 June, 11 July, 25 July and 31 July 2017.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

The Minutes of the Meetings of Cabinet held on 27 June, 11 July, 25 July and 31 July 2017 were received for information.

 

13:

Holding the Executive to Account pdf icon PDF 255 KB

(a) To receive a Portfolio Update on Strategy and Strategic Resources, New Council and Regional Issues Portfolio (Councillors Sheard and Pandor)

 

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

 

(i) Strategy and Strategic Resources, New Council and Regional issues Portfolio (Councillors Sheard and Pandor)

 

(ii) Adults and Public Health Portfolio (Councillors Kendrick and Scott)

 

(iii) Children’s Portfolio (Councillors Hill and Ahmed)

 

(iv) Corporate Portfolio (Councillors G Turner and Khan)

 

(v) Economy Portfolio (Councillors McBride and Mather)

Decision:

Council received a portfolio update from Councillors Sheard and Pandor – Strategy and Strategic Resources, New Council and Regional Issues Portfolio (presentation attached). 

14:

Minutes of Other Committees pdf icon PDF 102 KB

(a)  Appeals Panel

(b)  Corporate Governance and Audit Committee

(c)  Corporate Parenting Panel

(d)  Health and Wellbeing Board

(e)  Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee

(f)   Personnel Committee

(g)  Strategic Planning Committee

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

Item not considered (due to time constraints).

 

15:

Oral Questions to Committee Chairs and Nominated Spokespersons to Joint Committees/External Bodies

(a)  Appeals Panel (Councillor Dad)

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

(c)  Corporate Parenting Panel (Councillor Hill)

(d)  Employee Relations Sub Committee (Councillor Sheard)

(e)  Health and Wellbeing Board (Councillor Sheard)

(f)   Licensing and Safety Committee – including Licensing Panel and Regulatory Panel (Councillor Pattison)

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

(h)  Personnel Committee (Councillor Sheard)

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

(j)    Planning Sub Committee – Huddersfield Area (Councillor Lyons)

(k)  Strategic Planning Committee (Councillor S Hall)

(l)    Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing (Councillor Smaje)

(m)Kirklees Active Leisure (Councillor Sokhal)

(n)  West Yorkshire Combined Authority (Councillor Sheard)

(o)  West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee (Councillor Kaushik)

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

(q)  West Yorkshire Joint Services Committee (Councillor Pandor)

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

 

Decision:

Item not considered (due to time constraints).

 

16:

Motion submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14 as to the the Government's review of the Electrification of the Transpennine Railway

To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors Sheard, D Hall, McBride, N Turner, Greaves and Cooper.

 

“The Council calls on the Secretary of State for Transport to recommit to the electrification of Transpennine Railway. We note that on the day he confirmed support for the £30 billion Crossrail project he cancelled electrification of strategic significance to Yorkshire, the Midlands, North West and South West and deferred a decision on Transpennine.

 

As the Transpennine Railway is the main artery for rail freight and passenger movements in the North, we therefore seek the support of our Yorkshire MP’s and particularly those in Kirklees, to join forces with the Mayors of Liverpool and Manchester and the Leader of Leeds Council, in stressing the urgency of this matter and its significance as a project which could in part redress the imbalance of regional investment in the UK and lend some meaning to the term Northern Powerhouse.”

 

 

Decision:

Item not considered (due to time constraints).

 

17:

Motion submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14 as to Clean Air for Kirklees

 

To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors Khan and Kendrick;

 

“This Motion calls upon the Environment Secretary Michael Gove to urgently review the Government’s updated clean air plan and produce a national Clean Air Act which demonstrates the Government taking responsibility as well as local authorities.

 

Clean air is considered to be a basic requirement of human health and well-being. However, air pollution continues to pose a serious threat to health of the public. Air pollution is contributing to approximately 40,000 early deaths a year in the UK.  When dissected down to a Kirklees level that was the equivalent to 137 deaths per year associated with poor air quality in 2015.

 

This Council believes that air pollution in the UK is a public health crisis, with the World Health Organisation and Public Health England describing it as the largest environmental risk to public health.

 

Currently Kirklees Council are working on the following improvement projects;

  • Kirklees Council led on the creation of the West Yorkshire ECO-Stars freight recognition scheme. The scheme encourages operators of commercial vehicles to clean up their fleets and at the same time saves operating costs. This scheme is a free initiative to West Yorkshire businesses. The success of this scheme is currently under review and an extension to the scheme is being explored for 2017/18 &2018/19
  • Over 100 school transport buses have been retrofitted with exhaust technology to remove harmful exhaust emissions.
  • Kirklees Council have installed Smart traffic lights at the busier junctions across the district to improve vehicle flows and reduce congestion where possible, which in turn reduces emissions
  • Further to this Kirklees Council are working with a 3rd party company to rationalise this traffic management system to improve air quality further by running a pilot which uses modelled air pollution emissions to dictate traffic light changes. The pilot for this scheme is along the A62 Leeds Road.
  • West Yorkshire has been awarded funding from central government to encourage low emission taxis. Kirklees along with the other 4 West Yorkshire Authorities are looking to install a strategic electric vehicle (EV) taxi charging network across the district, along with funding for the private hire sector.
  • Kirklees Council are considering releasing further Hackney License plates for E.V Taxis in order to encourage further EV uptake 
  • Air Quality Assessments were conducted on the Local Plan to assess the cumulative impact of development on air quality across the district.
  • Kirklees are working with the West Yorkshire Authorities and the combined authority to create a public electric vehicle charging network.
  • Kirklees Council has the Green Parking Season Ticket, which allows Ultra Low Emission Vehicles to Park within Council car parks for free
  • Working with DEFRA to improve the understanding of West Yorkshire Air Quality issues by installing a National AQ monitor within Kirklees
  • Continuing to integrate the West Yorkshire Low Emission Strategy into Kirklees Council policy & operations and also working with partnership agencies to include relevant elements of the WYLES into their operations

 

The Council urges the Government  ...  view the full agenda text for item 17:

Decision:

Item not considered (due to time constraints).

 

18:

Motion submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14 as to address Removal of the 1% Pay Cap for all Public Sector Workers

 

To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors G Turner and Kendrick;

 

“This Motion calls on the Government to remove the 1% pay cap for all public sector workers.

 

The current plan to remove the cap for certain sections of the public sector is divisive and unfair; why should nurses saving lives, be valued less than a prison warder?

 

The cap is unfair and is unjustified; why should vital parts of the public sector continue to see a decline in their living standards, whist others see an increase?

 

The public sector needs a rise for all and this must be fully funded by government and not come from existing budgets, as this would continue the decline in the vital services provided by the public sector.

 

With inflation currently above 2% a rise of only 1% since 2013 and a total pay freeze for the two years before that means that the public sectors living standards will fall at well over 1% this year and have fallen significantly since 2010.

 

This policy has created staff shortages in large parts of the public sector and has added to the costs of parts of the public sector as agency staff have to be employed, to make up these short falls, only adding to the costs of the sector at a time when its struggling to deliver services due to the general underfunding of public services.

 

A low wage public sector does nothing to attract the talent and much needed workers of the future in to the sector, it also unfairly discriminates against woman who make up 2 thirds of the public sector. “

 

 

 

Decision:

Item not considered (due to time constraints).

 

19:

Motion submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14 as to Care Leavers Council Tax Exemption

 

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

 

“This Council notes that:

 

1)    Last year, a number of young people (aged 16 or over) left the care of Kirklees Local Authority and began the difficult transition into adulthood;

2)    The recent Ofsted report on the authority’s Children’s Services identified the experiences and progress of care leavers as requiring improvement and recommended proactive support;

3)    A 2016 report by The Children’s Society found that when care leavers move into independent accommodation, they begin to manage their own budget fully for the first time. The report showed that care leavers can find this extremely challenging and with no family to support them and insufficient financial education, are falling into debt and financial difficulty;

4)    Research from The Centre for Social Justice found that over half (57%) of young people leaving care have difficulty managing their money and avoiding debt when leaving care;

5)    The local authority has a duty of care to care leavers.

 

This Council believes that:

 

1)    Care leavers need support to make their transition from care to adult life as smooth as possible and to reduce the chance of falling into debt as they begin to manage their own finances;

2)    Care leavers are a particularly vulnerable group for council tax debt.

 

This Council, therefore, resolves:

 

1)    To investigate options to exempt care leavers from Council Tax until they are 25;

2)    To report back to Council in time for budget setting for 2018/19.”

 

Decision:

Item not considered (due to time constraints).

 

20:

Motion submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14 as to Votes at 16

 

 

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

 

 

“This Council notes:

 

1)    That currently 1.5 million 16 and 17 year olds are denied the vote in public elections in the UK;

2)    That 16 and 17 year olds are able to vote in local elections in Scotland, and in elections to the Scottish Parliament;

3)    That the campaign to lower the voting age is supported by thousands of young people across the UK and that the Votes at 16 Coalition consists of a wide range of youth and democracy organisations;

4)    The recent report by the Democracy Commission, which recommends that “National government should amend legislation to introduce the compulsory registration of young people at the age of 16.”

 

This Council believes:

 

1)    16 and 17 year olds are knowledgeable and passionate about the world in which they live and are as capable of engaging in the democratic system as any other citizen;

 

2)    Lowering the voting age to 16, combined with strong citizenship education, would empower young people to better engage in society and influence decisions that will define their future;

3)    People who can consent to medical treatment, work full-time, pay taxes, get married and join the armed forces should also have the right to vote.

 

This Council resolves:

 

1)    To join the Votes at 16 Coalition;

2)    To write to local MPs and the local media to inform them of this decision and ask them to support the campaign;

 

3)    To encourage our local MPs to attend and debate at the second reading of the Representation of the People (Young People’s Enfranchisement and Education) Bill 2017-19, which is taking place on the 3rd November 2017;

4)    To promote this policy through its communications;

5)    To run activities to raise awareness of and support for Votes at 16 in the local area.”

 

Decision:

Item not considered (due to time constraints).

 

21:

Motion submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14 as to Call to Lift the Public Sector Pay Cap

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

 

“This Council notes:

 

1)    In September 2017, the government agreed to lift the 1% public sector pay cap for police and prison officers, although the pay increase will be met through existing departmental budgets;

 

2)    There has been no government announcement confirming pay rise increases for other public sector workers;

 

3)    That the Consumer Prices Index was 2.9% in August 2017, and is rising.

 

This Council believes:

 

1)    That the continuation of the public sector pay cap is having an unreasonable effect on the living standards of many public sector staff, and is also affecting recruitment and retention across the public sector. Holding down pay has become the default position for making efficiencies, while workforce issues are being neglected;

2)    The existing pay cap is negatively impacting on the quantity and quality of public services;

3)    Rising inflation shows how urgent it is to address the sense of unfairness around the pay cap, with public sector workers effectively receiving real-term pay cuts;

4)    Retaining the 1% public pay cap is counter-productive, because:

·         it is not sustainable;

·         it is resulting in staff recruitment and retention issues;

·         resources are being used to alleviate the issues resulting from recruitment and retention challenges, which includes millions of pounds being spent by schools and NHS trusts every month to pay for job adverts. Declining staff numbers are driving increased use of agency staff to plug the gaps at a significant cost;

 

5)    Higher wages among public sector workers would lead up increased spending and increased income tax collected by the Treasury;

6)    While there are cost implications in funding public pay increases, there are also cost implications by not investing. The benefits of increasing public sector pay and the multiplier effect could be huge for the economy.

 

This Council, therefore, agrees that:

 

The Chief Executive should write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to request that:

 

·         the pay cap is lifted across the public sector, to allow the implementation of the recommendations of Pay Review Bodies and negotiations with employers; and

·         subsequent pay increases be fully funded via the central government settlement, not through existing departmental budgets, which could result in further cuts to public services. “

 

Decision:

Item not considered (due to time constraints).

 

22:

Composite Motion submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14 to address removal of the 1% pay cap for all public sector workers (Agenda Items 18 and 21)

To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors G Turner, Kendrick, N Turner and Lawson;

 

“This Motion calls on the Government to remove the 1% pay cap for all public sector workers.

 

The current plan to remove the cap for police and prison officers is divisive and unfair; why should nurses saving lives, be valued less than a prison officer?

 

The public sector needs a rise for all and this must be fully funded by government and not come from existing budgets, as this would continue the decline in the vital services provided by the public sector.

 

With inflation currently above 2% a rise of only 1% since 2013 and a total pay freeze for the two years before that means that the public sectors living standards will fall at well over 1% this year and have fallen significantly since 2010. Public sector workers are effectively receiving real time pay cuts.

 

This policy has created staff shortages in large parts of the public sector and has added to the costs of parts of the public sector as agency staff have to be employed, only adding to the costs of the sector at a time when it’s struggling to deliver services due to the general underfunding of public services.

 

A low wage public sector does nothing to attract the talent and much needed workers of the future in to the sector, and largely discriminates against woman who make up 2 thirds of the public sector.

 

Higher wages among public sector workers would lead to increased spending and increased income tax collected by the Treasury.

 

This Council, therefore, agrees that:

 

The Chief Executive should write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to request that:

 

·         The pay cap is lifted across the public sector, to allow the implementation of the recommendations of Pay Review Bodies and negotiations with employers; and

·         Subsequent pay increases be fully funded via the central government settlement, not through existing departmental budgets, which could result in further cuts to public services.

 

Decision:

Item not considered (due to time constraints).