Agenda and decisions

To receive any announcements from the Mayor and Chief Executive.

The Mayor conveyed congratulations to Omaid Badar for achieving recognition as national Social Worker of the Year at the Social Worker of the Year Awards, and to Vicky Doolan who was shortlisted for the award. Congratulations were also conveyed to Christopher Smith Whicker who was shortlisted for Practice Educator of the Year.

The Mayor advised Council that, following a recent Ofsted inspection, the University of Huddersfield’s Apprenticeship division had been judged as ‘outstanding’. The Mayor congratulated the University upon this outcome, which was the highest grade that the University could have been awarded.

Group Business Managers to submit any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Bolt, P Davies, D Firth, D Hall, Dockrat, Mather, Sheard and Pervaiz.

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting of Council held on 18 October 2023.

Approved as a correct record.

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

No interests were declared.

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

Council received the following petitions;

(i)             Councillor A Pinnock - Cleckheaton Town Hall End to neglect and delay to repairs

(ii)            Councillor Kendrick - Stop the Closure of Claremont House

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 (Thursday 9 November) and shall subsequently be notified if the deputation shall be heard. A maximum of four deputations shall be heard at any one meeting.

1)    Council received the following deputations;

(i)             Sara Blagbough (regarding the potential closure of Castle Grange Care Home)

(ii)            Philip Gott (regarding the future of Batley Owls)

(iii)          Tim Gilligan (regarding the Council’s cuts to services)

(iv)          Surraya Patel (regarding sports provision in Dewsbury)

2)    No petitions were submitted.

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.

Council received public questions from Carl Mason, David Longstaff and Lesley Warner.

To receive the Minutes of the Meetings of West Yorkshire Combined Authority held on 7 September and 29 September 2023.

Council noted the Minutes of West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

To consider the report.

Contact: Jo Scrutton, Planning Policy

RESOLVED

1)    That Council approves the commencement of a full update of the Kirklees Local Plan in accordance with the statutory process as set out in the Town and Country Planning Regulations 2012.

2)    That Council approves the funding of the update of the Kirklees Local Plan, estimated at £2m over a five year period, including utilising funding from the Leeds City Region Business Pool and other funding sources.

To consider the appointment of the Panel Chair.

Contact: Julie Muscroft, Legal Governance and Commissioning

RESOLVED – That Councillor Pandor be appointed as Chair of the Growth and Regeneration Scrutiny Panel for the remainder of the municipal year.

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

The Elected Mayor (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) will be present for the Council’s key discussion debate, which will include an update on the Elected Mayor’s current priorities.

The Elected Mayor of West Yorkshire was in attendance for the key discussion and provided an overview of her priorities, prior to a question and answer session.

To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors Taylor and D Hall;

“This Council notes that:

The ‘Election Campaign Material Policy’ (last updated 24 January 2023) currently allows for small posters to be placed on the authority’s lamp posts.

The use of election posters on street furniture is mixed across Kirklees and political parties and there is no discernible correlation between those areas where posters are used and increased engagement or turnout.  The policy distracts both Police and Council resources in needing to police it and where posters are used it can leave a place looking very untidy, especially when posters become defaced, damaged or start to peel.  There are also issues about fairness in that posters cannot be installed in areas where streetlights are hosted in other ways, such as on telegraph poles, which means some more rural parts of the borough do not have the same level of Council support.

Their use is often hotly objected to by residents, especially where the poster is from a candidate the resident does not support, generating further work for Council Officers.  Whilst there was a place for this type of advertising in the past, the current proliferation of media which are open to candidates to communicate their message to the electorate means that this is no longer the effective medium it may have been.

Furthermore, the Council does an excellent job in letting the public know when there is an election, and does so through a wide variety of media, as does the press, social media and political parties.

Removing the ability to erect posters on Council owned assets allows the following benefits:

•      Reduces workload for Council staff and Police.

•      Reduces the use of single use plastic (cable ties), which are often left to pollute the environment or remain around the lamppost.

•      Frees up time for candidates and activists to engage with the public directly.

•      Removes the health & safety issues and road safety issues associated with the erection and removal of posters.

•      Frees up election expenses to be used to communicate directly with the electorate.

This Council therefore resolves to update the ‘Election Campaign Material Policy’ to remove the ability for parties to use Council street furniture for the displaying of election posters.”

Item not considered.

(Meeting terminated in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16(2).)

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

This Council notes that:

1)    School uniform can be a significant expense for many families and the cost-of-living crisis means that buying school uniforms is an even bigger concern than usual for many parents;
 

2)    Recent research by the Children’s Society found that parents spent on average £287 a year on primary school uniforms and £422 a year on secondary uniforms, with branded items costing more. The Children’s Society also found that pupils are expected to have an average of 3 branded items of uniform, while almost a third of secondary school pupils are required to own up to branded items;

3)    The cost of uniforms can be unnecessarily pushed up by practices such as sourcing a uniform from a single specialist provider;

4)    The Government has published new statutory guidance aimed at making school uniforms more affordable after a legal requirement to do so passed into law in 2021. In contrast to the previous school uniform guidance, which was non-statutory, the Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) Act, which was introduced in the House of Commons in February 2020, and completed its stages in 2021, became law with cross-party support and requires the Government to publish legally binding guidance requiring school authorities to consider costs when setting school uniform policies. Schools and their governing boards must have regard to the statutory guidance when developing and implementing their school and trust uniform policies. The main points of the statutory guidance are: 

(i) Schools need to ensure that their uniform is affordable.

(ii) In considering costs, schools will need to think about the total costs of school uniforms.

(iii) Schools should keep the use of branded items to a minimum.

(iv) Schools should ensure that their uniform supplier arrangements give the highest priority to cost and value for money (including the quality and durability of the garment).

(v) Schools should ensure that second-hand uniforms are available for parents to acquire. Information on second-hand uniforms should be clear for parents of current and prospective pupils and published on the school’s website.

This Council believes that:

1)    The statutory guidance set out by the Government is having a limited impact – branded items are still rife and a survey by The Children’s Society shows that unform costs are rising. The statutory guidance is not clear enough and has been interpreted differently by schools. Many schools are failing to adhere to it; 

2)    Spending on school uniform is a lottery. Some schools require parents to spend money on expensive uniform from specialist shops, while other schools will allow parents to buy from the high street, often at a significantly reduced price, and a small minority of schools do not require pupils to wear a uniform at all;

3)    The cost of highly branded school unform policies is unacceptable. The country is experiencing a cost-of-living crisis. Families are facing a huge squeeze on their income and expensive school uniform policies are  ...  view the full agenda text for item 14:

Item not considered.

(Meeting terminated in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16(2).)

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

“This Council notes that:

1)    Small Business Saturday is an annual event which was created to encourage consumers to ‘shop local’, in person and online, and to support small, independent businesses in their communities;

2)    Small Business Saturday 2023 is coming up on Saturday 2^nd December. Small Business Saturday has grown into a significant event – with £1.1 billion spent at small businesses during the 2020 event alone;

3)    This is an excellent opportunity to promote small businesses in Kirklees and to celebrate the contribution smaller businesses make to our district.

This Council believes that:

1) Small businesses are the heart and soul of our local high streets. They help give our villages and towns in Kirklees their unique character and employ thousands of local people. It is only by supporting our local independent businesses that we can also help our local high streets thrive;

2) Now, more than ever, we need to be supporting our small businesses and local shops, who are currently experiencing enormous challenges, including economic, political and social uncertainty, the cost-of-living crisis and impact on consumer spending, the rising cost of bills and a reduction in profit margins due to inflation. A side effect of rising inflation is higher interest rates, which has an impact on borrowing and enabling businesses to access finance, including business loans. According to recent reports, UK high street businesses could face a quadrupling of their tax bills next year and close to a £2 billion increase in business rate payments;

3) Local businesses are vital to local economies – they are significant creators of jobs and are more likely to hire people who live locally. The money spent at a local business is more likely to stay in the community. They are the backbone of our communities, bringing people together and building local character. However, many small businesses will close unless we support them better.       

This Council resolves to:

1) Instruct the Chief Executive and Heads of Service to ensure that the Council participates in Small Business Saturday on Saturday 2^nd December 2023;

2) Request that officers work closely with local business organisations and smaller enterprises across Kirklees to make them aware of Small Business Saturday and encourage them to sign up;

3) Ensure that Small Business Saturday is promoted prominently on the Council’s website, social media channels and other external communications;

4) Develop a year-round communications plan to continue promoting local small businesses and encouraging residents in Kirklees to shop local all year round;

5) Investigate further ways to increase shopper numbers around Small Business Saturday and in the lead up to Christmas – such as free car parking in the town centre on busy shopping days – and establish a regular programme of measures to support small businesses.”

Motion approved, as amended;

This Council notes that:

1)    Small Business Saturday is an annual event which was created to encourage consumers to ‘shop local’, in person and online, and to support small, independent businesses in their communities;

2)    Small Business Saturday 2023 is coming up on Saturday 2^nd December. Small Business Saturday has grown into a significant event – with £1.1 billion spent at small businesses during the 2020 event alone;

3)    This is an excellent opportunity to promote small businesses in Kirklees and to celebrate the contribution smaller businesses make to our district.

This Council believes that:

1) Small businesses are the heart and soul of our local high streets. They help give our villages and towns in Kirklees their unique character and employ thousands of local people. It is only by supporting our local independent businesses that we can also help our local high streets thrive;

2) Now, more than ever, we need to be supporting our small businesses and local shops, who are currently experiencing enormous challenges, including economic, political and social uncertainty, the cost-of-living crisis and impact on consumer spending, the rising cost of bills and a reduction in profit margins due to inflation. A side effect of rising inflation is higher interest rates, which has an impact on borrowing and enabling businesses to access finance, including business loans. According to recent reports, UK high street businesses could face a quadrupling of their tax bills next year and close to a £2 billion increase in business rate payments;

3) Local businesses are vital to local economies – they are significant creators of jobs and are more likely to hire people who live locally. The money spent at a local business is more likely to stay in the community. They are the backbone of our communities, bringing people together and building local character. However, many small businesses will close unless we support them better.       

This Council resolves to:

1)    Call upon the Government to replace the outdated business rates system with a modern system of fair business taxes, that recognises the challenges and difficulties for new and start-up businesses.

2)    Request that Officers work closely with local business organisations and smaller enterprises across Kirklees to make them aware of Small Business Saturday and encourage them to sign up.

3)  Ensure that Small Business Saturday is promoted prominently on the

     Council’s website, social media channels and other external   

     communications.

4)    Develop a year-round communications plan to continue promoting local small businesses and encouraging residents in Kirklees to shop local all year round.

5)    Request that the Government takes action to ensure the scourge of late payments which can decimate small business cash flow and should be tackled with meaningful legislation.

6)    Request that appropriate measures should also be introduced to ensure small business can access public contacts in a simpler way, to ensure the playing field is level with large companies whose resources allow them an unfair advantage.

7)    Notes that Officers and Portfolio Holders are  ...  view the full decision text for item 15:

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

“This Council notes that:

1)    NHS dentistry operates differently from other aspects of NHS healthcare. Most dentists are not employed directly by the NHS but operate as independent contractors. In practice, this means that dentists purchase and equip the surgery, hire staff and pay all the running costs (such as wages, materials and insurance) in order to provide an NHS dental service;

2)    Dentists enter into agreements with NHS England to provide a certain number of treatments per year. The contract gives NHS dental practices targets to hit, and this is known as units of dental activity (UDA). If dental practices do not hit their targets, they risk losing a significant part of their NHS funding;

3)    Dentists are paid by the NHS according to a points system. They are effectively paid the same for the delivery of a check-up as they would be for performing root canal work, despite the latter requiring far more work and taking much longer;

4)    There is a shortage of dentists in England. According to NHS figures, the number of dentists providing NHS care in England fell from 23,733 at the end of 2020 to 21,544 at the end of January this year. This means that the NHS now has the smallest number of dentists it has had for over a decade. It is also a local problem, with Kirklees losing 11% of its dentists, meaning that it is the among the 25 most affected areas nationally.

This Council believes that:

1)    Access to NHS dental care and treatment has become enormously limited and this is a huge issue. Many people across Kirklees and England have been forced to go private and are battling to get treatment as practices stop seeing NHS patients. Many people travel miles outside their areas to access NHS treatment and some have even travelled overseas for treatment. Sadly, there has been a rise in do-it-yourself dentistry, which is enormously risky and can be harmful to dental health;

2)    Dental care is an essential part of health care and should be available to all, yet oral health inequality is widening across Kirklees and across the country. A shortage of NHS appointments and treatment is particularly affecting those on low incomes the hardest, as well as patients with high levels of need, including those who are vulnerable. A lack of access to NHS dental care has real implications; it is deepening health inequalities and resulting in a rise of health issues, such as tooth decay, gum disease and oral cancer;

3)    Dental surgeries have been forced to scale back their services. In part this is due to recruitment and retention issues, as well as NHS dental care services being underfunded and overstretched. There are staffing shortages which has been exacerbated by Brexit and Covid-19. Many dentists are unhappy with the NHS dental contact, according to the British Dental Association, and this may also a significant  ...  view the full agenda text for item 16:

Item not considered.

(Meeting terminated in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16(2).)

To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors Marchington and P A Davies;

“This Council notes that:

1)    Most of the UK has a combined sewerage system, meaning that both rainwater and waste water (from toilets, bathrooms and kitchens) are carried in the same pipes to a sewage treatment works. However, during heavy rainfall, the capacity of these pipes can be exceeded, which has the potential to back up and flood people’s homes, roads and open spaces, unless it is allowed to spill elsewhere. As a result, the system is designed to overflow occasionally and discharge excess wastewater into our rivers and seas. However, data shows that the use of overflows is not occasional, as it should be;

2)    Sewage and wastewater discharge is a significant factor in water quality and has an adverse impact on the health of river ecosystems;

3)    According to the Wildlife Trusts, only 16% of waters in England are currently in good ecological health and none meet chemical standards. This means that, overall, there are no rivers, lakes, estuaries or seas in England that are currently in a healthy condition;

4)    This is a local issue as well. Last year, the amount of time sewage was allowed to spill into Yorkshire’s waterways was 232,054 hours, with 54,273 monitored spill events. According to the Environment Agency, parts of Yorkshire have some of the highest number of serious water pollution incidents in England and Kirklees has ranked amongst the highest in recent years. Data from 2021 has revealed that 5 of the top 20 most polluted rivers are in Yorkshire, with the River Calder the second most sewage-polluted waterway in the country, with sewage flowing into the river and tributaries for 27,901 hours.

This Council believes that:

1)    Healthy waterways are the foundation for all life, but our rivers and lakes have become poisoned, which has had a hugely negative impact on aquatic wildlife and habitats;

2)    The Government needs to set out more ambitious targets to repair the damage inflected on our rivers and watercourses;

3)    The council has a number of legal responsibilities in relation to protecting its rivers and watercourses as well as in relation to public health;

4)    Local authorities, including Kirklees Council, should also have powers to fine water utility companies for preventable sewage dumping. The Council should use its voice to put pressure on water companies and the Government to make improvements and fulfil their obligations to Kirklees residents, and resident elsewhere across the country;

5)    Many Kirklees residents are concerned about water quality and the impact of regular wastewater discharge and untreated sewage into our rivers, and the impact that this has on human health and wildlife. Now, more than ever, water quality is at the forefront of public consciousness, as releasing sewage into rivers is no longer an emergency-only situation occurring as a result of severe rainfall, but a regular occurrence. This is at a time when water companies are reportedly pushing to be allowed to  ...  view the full agenda text for item 17:

Item not considered.

(Meeting terminated in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16(2).)