Agenda and decisions

To receive any announcements from the Mayor and Chief Executive.

The Mayor conveyed thanks to those that had attended the Mayoral Civic Dinner contributed to the success of the event.

The Mayor also advised that Agenda Item 12 would be withdrawn.

The Chief Executive advised that (i) the Procurement Team had been successful in achieving the National Government Opportunities Excellence in Public Procurement Award for the Best Procurement Delivery in the Public Sector (ii) the Catering Service had been shortlisted for the Lead Association for Caterers in Education Catering Business of the Year Award (iii) the European Diversity Awards had been shortlisted the Iroko Project for the Community Project of the Year and (iv) Siraj Mayet had been shortlisted for Human Resources Champion of the Year of Award. 

Group Business Managers to submit any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Akhtar, Dad, D Firth, Hill, M Hussain, Lyons, A U Pinnock and K Taylor.

To agree and authorise the Mayor to sign the Minutes of Council held on 8 September 2021.

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 8 September 2021 be 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.

No interests were declared.

To receive any Petitions from Members of the Council in accordance

with Council Procedure Rule 9.

Councillor Burke submitted a petition requesting that the former Eastlawns site, Lindley, is returned to Council ownership for the provision of a car park.

Councillor Sokhal submitted a petition on behalf of the Hackney Carriage Trade regarding parking issues arising from the installation of bollards and plant boxes on John William Street and requesting their removal.

Councillor Sokhal submitted a petition on behalf of traders within Huddersfield Town Centre regarding the impact of car parking restrictions on John William Street and their negative impact upon trade.

The Mayor advised that, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9 (3), the petitions be referred to the appropriate Service Director for investigation.

Council will receive any petitions and hear any deputations from members of the public in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 9 and 10.  

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.

Council received a deputation from Alison Gaughan with regards to the A629 scheme upon local residential amenity and the climate emergency.

A response was provided by the Cabinet Member for Regeneration (Councillor McBride).

Council will receive any questions from the general public in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.

Council received the following questions from Nicolette Philokyprou regarding the Holmfirth Town Centre Improvement Scheme;

(i)             What is the criteria for moving the current loading arrangements from the south to the north side?

(ii)            Has an environmental impact of the plans been carried out?

A response was provided by the Cabinet Member for Regeneration (Councillor McBride).

To receive the Minutes of the Meeting of West Yorkshire Combined Authority held on 24 June and 29 July 2021.

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the Meeting of West Yorkshire Combined Authority held on 24 June and 29 July 2021 be received and noted.

To consider the Council’s Budget Strategy Update.

Contact: Eamonn Croston, Service Director - Finance

That Council endorses the resolution of Cabinet held on 12 October 2021, as set out below;

(i)             That the funding and spend assumptions informing the updated budget forecasts, as set out at paras. 2.3 to 2.12 of the considered report be noted.

(ii)            That the current and forecast earmarked reserves and general balances, as set out at Appendix B, be noted.

(iii)          That the decision on the preferred option for Business Rates Pool arrangements for 2022/2023 be delegated to the Chief Executive and Service Director (Finance), in consultation with the Leader and Cabinet Member, as set out at para. 2.4, be noted.

(iv)          That the updated multi-year capital budget plans, as set out at Appendix D, be noted.

(v)           That the financial planning framework, as set out at para 1.6, be approved.

(vi)          That the corporate budget timetable and approach, as set out at Appendix F, be noted.

(vii)         That authority be delegated to the Strategic Director (Corporate Strategy, Commissioning and Public Health) to agree the approach to budget consultation and relevant timescales in consultation and relevant timescales in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services.

(viii)       That amended wording as follows be noted; para 1.5.3 delete ‘…Huddersfield Market High Street Fund Bid at £18m…’ and at para 1.8.6 insert ‘…and consider options for the previously unsuccessful Huddersfield Market High Street Fund Bid at £18m…’

To consider the adoption of Our Council Plan 2021/2023.

Contact: Kate McNicholas - Head of Policy, Partnerships and Corporate Planning

That Our Council Plan (Appendix 1 to the considered report) and ‘Achieving Our Outcomes (Appendix 2), be approved.

To consider the re-appointment of the Council’s Independent Person.

Contact: Julie Muscroft, Service Director – Legal, Governance and Commissioning

1.    That approval be given to the reappointment of the exisiting Independent Person for a further two years.

2.    That it be noted that the Monitoring Officer take the necessary steps to advertise for and appoint a further Independent Person.

To consider that the requirement for an ElectedMember to attend a relevant number of qualifying Council meetings be relaxed until 6th May 2022.

Contact: Julie Muscroft, Service Director – Legal, Governance and Commissioning

Item withdrawn.

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 tabled at the meeting.

Council considered the schedule of submitted questions.

To receive for information; the Minutes of (i) Cabinet held on 22 June, 27 July and 31 August 2021 and (ii) Cabinet Committee – Local Issues held on 23 June 2021.

Item not considered (due to time constraints).

(a)  To receive a Portfolio Update from the Cabinet Member for Culture and Greener Kirklees (Councillor Simpson)

(b)  To receive oral questions/comments to Cabinet Members on their portfolios and relevant Cabinet Minutes :

(i)             The Leader of the Council (Councillor Pandor)

(ii)            The Deputy Leader of the Council / Housing and Democracy Portfolio (Councillor Scott)

(iii)          Children’s Portfolio (Councillor Kendrick)

(iv)          Corporate Portfolio (Councillor P Davies)

(v)           Culture and Greener Kirklees Portfolio (Councillor Simpson)

(vi)          Environment Portfolio (Councillor Mather)

(vii)         Health and Social Care Portfolio (Councillor Khan)

(viii)       Learning, Aspiration and Communities Portfolio (Councillor Pattison)

(ix)          Regeneration Portfolio (Councillor McBride)

(x)           Town Centres (Councillor E Firth)

Item not considered (due to time constraints).

To receive for information the minutes of the following Committees, Boards and Panels;

(a)  Corporate Governance and Audit Committee

(b)  Corporate Parenting Board

(c)  Health and Wellbeing Board

(d)  Licensing and Safety Committee

(e)  Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee

(f)    Strategic Planning Committee

Item not considered (due to time constraints).

To receive oral questions in accordance with Council Procedure Rule

13 (4):

(a)  Appeals Panel (Councillor Ramsay)

(b)  Corporate Governance and Audit Committee (Councillor Y Hussain)

(c)  Corporate Parenting Board (Councillor Reynolds)

(d)  Health and Wellbeing Board (Councillor Kendrick)

(e)  Licensing and Safety Committee – including Licensing Panel and Regulatory Panel (Councillor A U Pinnock)

(f)    Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee (Councillor Smaje)

(g)  Personnel Committee (Councillor Pandor)

(h)  Planning Sub Committee - Heavy Woollen Area (Councillor M Hussain)

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

(j)    Scrutiny Panel – Children’s (Councillor Marchington)

(k)  Scrutiny Panel – Corporate (Councillor Cooper)

(l)    Scrutiny Panel – Economy and Neighbourhoods (Councillor Uppal)

(m)Scrutiny Panel – Health and Adult Social Care (Councillor Zaman)

(n)  Standards Committee (Councillor Hill)

(o)  Strategic Planning Committee (Councillor S Hall)

(p)  Kirklees Active Leisure (Councillor Sokhal)

(q)  West Yorkshire Combined Authority (Councillor Pandor)

(r)   West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee (Councillor Homewood)

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

(t)    West Yorkshire Joint Services Committee (Councillor Zaman)

(u)  West Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel (Councillor Ahmed)

Item not considered (due to time constraints).

To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors Lawson, Marchington and A Smith;

“This Council recognises the regressive nature of taxes raised locally under precepts. For most of those who must pay those taxes, there is no account taken of household income.

We ask, therefore, that Cabinet consider if it is appropriate for the newly elected Mayor of West Yorkshire to use such tax-raising powers for the foreseeable future in the current economic climate.”

Item not considered (due to time constraints).

To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors Munro and Iredale;

“This Council notes:

1)    The Warm Home Discount Scheme, which is a Government-led initiative providing eligible households with a £140 discount on their electricity bill between September and March each year. This is a one-off discount which is administered by energy suppliers;

2)    The £140 discount has remained fixed for over 9 years;

3)    There have been huge rises in energy prices in recent years, with the costs of energy increasing by 40% in the last year alone. Additionally, Ofgem has recently set an unprecedented price cap hike. According to the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, Ofgem’s price cap hike could propel a further 1.2 million people in to fuel poverty (rising from 4.1 million to 5.3 million);

4)    The publication of the Government’s Energy White Paper (December 2020). Earlier this year, the Government also consulted on proposals to reform the Warm Home Discount Scheme in England and Wales until 2026. The Government has pledged to increase the size of individual rebates from £140 to £150 and expand the scheme so that an additional 780,000 households receive rebates off their energy bills each winter. 

This Council believes:

1)    That the Warm Home Discount is vital in helping to tackle fuel poverty. The rebate helps households that struggle to keep warm pay for their energy;

2)    That it’s essential for households to be able to heat their homes to a safe level. Too many households are forced to make decisions about whether to heat or to eat;

3)    The Government’s proposed changes to increase the Warm Home Discount Scheme by only £10 is insufficient given that energy prices have risen higher in recent years and are likely to continue to increase. The Warm Home Discount Scheme has not kept up with the times and unless the rebate is increased further, many families will suffer and will struggle to keep warm. The Warm Home Discount Scheme should also be better designed, so that more eligible households are aware about the discount and there are more channels to apply for it.

This Council resolves:

That the Leader of the Council writes to the Minister of State at the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, the Rt Hon Greg Hands MP, to urgently review and update the Warm Home Discount Scheme, to ensure the scheme is fit-for-purpose and that the rebate better reflects the rapid rises in energy costs, while also reviewing and updating the scheme so that it is better designed, to help ensure more households are aware about it.”

Item not considered (due to time constraints).