Agenda and decisions

To receive any announcements from the Mayor and Chief Executive.

Group Business Managers to submit any apologies for absence.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting of the Council Meeting held on 18 September 2024.

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.

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

The Committee 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 and shall subsequently be notified if the deputation shall be heard. A maximum of four deputations shall be heard at any one meeting.

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.

To receive the Minutes of the Meeting of West Yorkshire Combined Authority held on 25 July 2024.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9a, Council will discuss the subject matter of a previously submitted petition regarding the future of Cleckheaton Town Hall.

To receive the Annual Report.

Contact: Leigh Webb, Acting Head of Governance

RESOLVED – That the Corporate Governance and Audit Committee Annual Report be received and that the assurances that the Committee complies with CIPFA’s Position Statement: Audit Committees in Local Authorities and Police be noted.

To consider the report.

Contact: Leigh Webb, Acting Head of Governance

RESOLVED –

1)    That no changes be made to the 2024/2025 Members Allowances Scheme, other than to apply the same percentage pay award awarded to Officers to the basic allowances and that SRAs be backdated to 1 April 2024.

2)    That the same percentage pay award awarded to Officers be continually applied to the basic allowance and SRAs in subsequent years, in accordance with the recommendation of the Democracy Commission (2017).

3)    That it be noted that the Panel will reconvene to consider the Members Allowances Scheme for 2025/2026, in line with the issues identified in the report at Appendix A, along with any other additional issues as determined by the Panel.

To receive the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2023/2024.

Contact: Leigh Webb, Acting Head of Governance

RESOLVED – That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Annual Report be received and noted.

To consider the appointment of the Chair of Licenisng and Safety Committee for the remainder of the 2024/2025 municipal year.

Contact: Leigh Webb, Acting Head of Governance

RESOLVED – That Councillor Eric Firth be appointed as Chair of Licensing and Safety Committee, with immediate effect, for the remainder of the 2024/2025 municipal year.

To consider the appointment of the Chair of Personnel Committee for the remainder of the 2024/2025 municipal year.

Contact: Leigh Webb, Acting Head of Governance

RESOLVED – That Councillor Carole Pattison be appointed as Chair of Personnel Committee, with immediate effect, for the remainder of the 2024/2025 municipal year.

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 and responses will be tabled at the meeting. One supplementary question will be permitted.

To receive the Minutes of the Meetings of Cabinet held on 9 July and 13 August 2024.

(a)  To receive Portfolio Updates from the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Finance and Regeneration.

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

-       The Leader of the Council (Councillor Pattison)

-       The Deputy Leader of the Council / Housing and Transport (Councillor Crook)

-       Children’s Services (Councillor Kendrick)

-       Corporate Services (Councillor Hawkins)

-       Education and Communities (Councillor A U Pinnock)

-       Environment and Highways (Councillor Munir Ahmed)

-       Finance and Regeneration (Councillor Turner)

-       Health and Social Care (Councillor Addy)

(a)  Corporate Governance and Audit Committee

(b)  District Wide Planning Committee

(c)  Health and Wellbeing Board

(d)  Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee

(e)  Personnel Committee

(f)    Strategic Planning Committee

To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors Darwan, Hussain, Moore, H Zaman, Bramwell, Safdar, Scott, Masood Ahmed, A Zaman, Daji, Kahut and Anwar.

“This Council notes that almost a year ago from the start of the recent conflict in Gaza:

a)    Israel’s ground and air campaign in Gaza has killed more than 39,324 people and continuing, mostly civilians, and driven most of the enclave’s 2.3 million people from their homes Plus 90,830 Palestinian people injured and approximately 1,478 Israelis have been reported as killed.

b)    The Israeli crimes violate international criminal laws, including war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of genocide, which the Israel Defense Forces, the military branch of the state of Israel, has been accused of committing since the founding of Israel in 1948. These have included murder, intentional targeting of civilians, killing prisoners of war and surrendered combatants, indiscriminate attacks, collective punishment, starvation, the use of human shields, sexual violence and rape, torture, pillage, forced transfer, breach of medical neutrality, targeting journalists, attacking civilian and protected objects, wanton destruction, incitement to genocide, and genocide.

c)    Many residents in Kirklees remain gravely concerned about the continued horrifying situation in Gaza. Most societies consider murder to be an extremely serious crime, and thus believe that a person convicted of murder should receive harsh punishments for the purposes of retribution, deterrence, rehabilitation, or incapacitation. In most countries, a person convicted of murder generally receives a long-term prison sentence, a life sentence, or capital punishment.

This Council calls on the Leader of the Council to write to the UK Prime Minster Kier Starmer and to the Foreign Secretary David Lammy to immediately request the following:

1.    Suspend both extant licenses for military equipment and technology and theissuing of new licenses while Israel continues to carry out widespread serious violations with impunity.

2.    Adhere to its obligations under international law, respect the International Court of Justiceruling, and advocate for adherence to international law and accountability for all parties.

3.    Use every diplomatic and economic lever at its disposal to help secure an immediate and
permanent ceasefire, to stop the death and destruction, and to secure the safe release of hostages on both sides.

4.    Significant and immediate aid and protection for Palestinians in Gaza who face imminent danger from hunger, disease, and military bombardment.

5.    To look at a leadership change in Israel. It appears increasingly clear that a ceasefire will not happen with Netanyahu and his supporters in control of Israel’s policy and military.

6.    Control of Gaza to be given to the Palestinian Authority.

In addition to the above we ask that the Council Leader that the Palestinian Flag be flown at Huddersfield, Batley and Dewsbury Town Halls in an act of remembrance for those who have died. In the past Huddersfield Town Hall have flown the Irish flag. The flags will be donated by a local Kirklees group and at no cost to the Kirklees Council or to the Local Council  ...  view the full agenda text for item 19:

To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors Cooper, Vickers, Allison and Lee-Richards;

This Council:

-       condemns the organised racist and islamophobic violence by far right      rioters in many towns and cities in England;

-       notes the failed Huddersfield riot called for Monday 5th August which drew little support and thanks the police for their robust response;

-       believes the divisive rhetoric of some mainstream politicians and media has fuelled the recent violence and the ‘Stop the Boats’ narrative has contributed to division and has helped further stigmatise migrants and asylum seekers;

-       is concerned that even an advisor, appointed by the previous Government, identified that successive governments have failed the British people and left local authorities struggling to deal with extremist challenges;

-       recognises the fear of violence and intimidation terrified many people of colour, especially women, and made people feel unsafe in their hometowns;

-       acknowledges that the threat of serious violence impacted negatively on businesses in the local economy;

-       recognises that  migrants have always contributed to our society as workers, taxpayers and citizens and that segregation of asylum

seekers into different systems for homelessness, destitution and work creates further division and lack of cohesion in society;

-       condemns the policy of austerity, which causes hardship and resentment amongst the communities most left behind;

-       welcomes the scrapping of the Rwanda deportation scheme and Bibby Stockholm barge;

-       thanks the Police and Crown Prosecution Service for pursuing rightful convictions and for the local press for reporting on the sentences;

-       calls on the government to abandon any proposals to place asylum seekers in overcrowded unsuitable accommodation, in large numbers, that may make them a target for racist and far right violence;

-       thanks the people of Kirklees who have spoken out against violence intimidation and racism;

-       believes that the majority of people in Kirklees want an asylum system that is fair, well managed and humane;

-       resolves to ask the Chief Executive to write to the Prime Minister with a copy of this motion and to ask him to consider implementing a Social Cohesion Strategy for the UK.”

To consider the following Motion in the names of Councillors J Lawson and Marchington;

“This Council notes:

1)    The Conservative Government, under Margaret Thatcher, introduced the Right to Buy scheme in the United Kingdom. The Right to Buy scheme allows eligible council tenants and tenants in housing associations to purchase their council property, often at a discounted rate;

2)    When the Right to Buy scheme was introduced in England and Wales in 1980, it was designed to help ‘generation rent’ to get on the property ladder and was seen by some as a means to encourage homeownership and social mobility. Since 1980, more than two million homes have been sold under the scheme;

3)    Government figures released in February 2024, which show that 22,023 social homes were either sold or demolished in England in 2023, while 9,561 social homes were built, a net loss of 12,462 homes. In the past 10 years, there has been a total loss of 177,487 social homes, while over 1.28 million households in England are currently on council waiting lists for social housing. This is at a time when local authorities in England spent a record £2.29 billion a year in providing emergency temporary accommodation for homeless households between April 2023 and March 2024, a 29% increase from the previous year. In any one year in Kirklees, there are between 19,000 and 20,000 people waiting for a council property, but only around 1,700 to 1,800 homes become available in any given year;

4)    According to the think-tank, the New Economics Foundation (NEF), over 40% of council houses and flats sold under the Right to Buy scheme across the country are now owned by private landlords. In the last 10 years alone, over 109,000 former council homes have started being let privately.

This Council believes that:

1)    Although the Right to Buy scheme has increased home ownership and has made home ownership more accessible to some, the failure to replace homes sold through the scheme has hindered its success. There was a commitment to the building of replacement social homes for each one sold when the scheme was set up, but less than 5% of homes sold off through the Right to Buy scheme have been replaced since the policy was introduced;
 

2)    Increasingly, it is evident that the Right to Buy scheme has failed. It has largely exacerbated rather than alleviated the housing crisis in the UK. While thousands of homes are sold through Right to Buy each year, the number of replacement homes falls drastically short, resulting in a net loss of social homes. This is at a time when the private sector isn’t building enough affordable homes and local authorities are unable to do so. While local authorities, including Kirklees Council, endeavour to respond to escalating demand for housing, vulnerable households find themselves locked out of safe and secure social housing;

3)    The Right to Buy scheme effectively forces many households into private renting, when the properties were built originally with the intention  ...  view the full agenda text for item 21:

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

“This Council notes:

1)    The recent announcement by the Labour Government to end universal Winter Fuel Payments and restrict eligibility to only those in receipt of Pension Credits and other benefits;

2)    The Government won a vote in Parliament on the 10^th September on the plan to restrict the payments for most pensioners by 348 votes to 228. Liberal Democrat MPs backed a motion in Parliament to block the Government’s cut to Winter Fuel Payments;

3)    Though many argue that universal Winter Fuel Payments are not necessary, Council is deeply concerned that many pensioners on lower and middle incomes will not now receive the payments. Across England and Wales, the number of people eligible for Winter Fuel Payments will fall by 10 million (from 11.4 million to only 1.5 million);

4)    In Kirklees the number of pensioners affected by the change in eligibility criteria is 63,108. That means that just under 88% of pensioners in Kirklees currently eligible for Winter Fuel Payments will no longer be able to claim the payment from this winter onwards;

5)    That the Government did not carry out an impact assessment as part of their decision to cut winter fuel support;

6)    By making the Winter Fuel Payment a means-tested benefit tied to claims for Pension Credit, the Government projected savings of £1.4 billion per year. The Government’s savings calculation were based on an assumption of a rise in Pension Credit applications by 95,000, resulting in additional Pension Credit expenditure of £370 million a year. However, new analysis by Policy in Practice, a consultancy who work with local authorities, has thrown the Government’s projected £1.4 billion savings in doubt, as there has been a surge in claims for Pension Credit since the Government’s announcement. This means that any savings could be significantly lower than the Treasury expected, as many of those affected will need to seek other benefits to help them stay warm;

7)    From the 1^st October this year, the energy price cap for a typical household that uses gas and electricity and pays by Direct Debit will go up from £1,568 to £1,717 per year, an increase of around 10%. The new energy price cap, which combined by the removal of Winter Fuel Payments, will likely push thousands of local pensioners into fuel poverty. 

This Council believes:                                                                                                 

1)    That the Labour Government has set the threshold at which pensioners do not qualify for Winter Fuel Payments far too low. Only those receiving a pension of less than £218.15 a week (or £332.95 a week for couples) are eligible for Pension Credits. This is significantly lower than the living wage rate;

2)    While claims for Pension Credit has increased in recent months, the take-up is still too low, with only 63% of those eligible nationwide receiving them – and over 880,000 pensioners not doing so. Council recognises the role we have to play to increase awareness of benefits, such  ...  view the full agenda text for item 22:

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

“This Council notes:

1)    The two-child limit to benefit payments was introduced by the Conservative Government in 2017 and is currently supported by the new Labour Government. The cap restricts Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit to the first two children in most households;

2)    The recent research conducted by the End Child Poverty Coalition, which has found that:

·       1.5 million children in the UK live in households subject to the two-child limit on benefit payments. This is roughly one-in-ten children in the UK.

·       In 2023/24 the two-child limit cost families up to £3,235 per child each year.

·       There is a strong correlation between families affected by the two-child limit and those who are living in poverty.

·       Scrapping the two-child limit would lift 250,000 children out of poverty overnight, and significantly reduce the level of poverty that a further 850,000 children live in.

·       Scrapping the two-child limit would cost £1.3 billion. However, it is estimated that child poverty costs the economy over £39 billion a year. This includes increased public service expenditures and lost economic output, due to lower earnings potential among adults who grow up in impoverished conditions.

3)    New data which reveals that the Yorkshire and Humber region, which includes Kirklees, is a hotspot for children hit by the two-child limit on benefits, with 13% of children in Yorkshire and Humber impacted. As a comparison, across the nations, the figure is 11% for both England and Wales. At the same time, the number of children living in poverty in Kirklees in 2021/22 was 34,969. That is 33.7% of all children living in the district;

4)    The Liberal Democrat national party has consistently opposed the two-child limit to benefit payments since it was introduced – calling for it to be axed in their 2017, 2019 and 2024 manifestos. Council notes with concern the stance of the Labour Government, who are committed to keeping the cap – going as far as suspending the whip from MPs who rebel against this position.

This Council believes that:

The two-child limit to benefit payments is a cruel and harmful policy that should be scrapped. Research from the University of York has shown that its introduction has had no positive impacts on employment and earnings. Instead, it has dragged thousands of local families into poverty and has been a key driver of child poverty in recent years. Furthermore, the policy has had a negative impact on many people’s mental health, increasing stress and anxiety and harming their wellbeing, with knock-on effects on children’s opportunities and wellbeing.

This Council, therefore, resolves to:

1)    Instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Prime Minister indicating Kirklees Council’s strong belief that the two-child limit to benefit payments should be scrapped – which would help many children and households in Kirklees;

2)    Further, instruct the Chief Executive to write to all MPs covering Kirklees Council’s area, asking them to  ...  view the full agenda text for item 23:

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

“This Council notes:

• The Labour Government’s recent decision to restrict the Winter Fuel Payment to only pensioners in receipt of means-tested benefits like Pension Credit, as announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

• The estimated impact of this decision, which Age UK says will mean 2 million pensioners who badly need the money to stay warm this winter will not receive it.

• The significant role that Winter Fuel Payments play in helping older residents of Kirklees Council and across the UK afford heating during the coldest months, thereby preventing 'heat or eat' dilemmas and safeguarding health.

• The criticism from Age UK, the Countryside Alliance and other charities, highlighting the social injustice and potential health risks posed by this sudden policy change.

• The additional strain this decision will place on vulnerable pensioners, many of whom do not claim Pension Credit despite being eligible, further exacerbating their financial hardship.

Council believes:

• That the Winter Fuel Payment has been a lifeline for many older people across the UK and that restricting its availability solely to those on Pension Credit risks leaving many pensioners in financial hardship.

• While some pensioners currently in receipt of the Winter Fuel Payment may not require it, many thousands across Kirklees Council sit just above the cut-off for Pension Credit and will now lose their allowance.

• The decision to means-test Winter Fuel Payments, especially with such short notice and without adequate compensatory measures, is deeply unfair and will disproportionately affect the health and well-being of our poorest older residents.

• The government’s approach fails to consider the administrative barriers and stigma that prevent eligible pensioners from claiming Pension Credit, leaving many without the support they desperately need.

Council resolves to:

• Bring forward a Council-led local awareness campaign to alert those eligible of Pension Credit which in some respects will help access to the Winter Fuel Payment for those most in need.

• Request that the Council Leader write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, urging her to reverse the decision to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment and asking the government to ensure that vulnerable pensioners, particularly those who do not claim Pension Credit, are protected from fuel poverty.

• Encourage local efforts to promote Pension Credit uptake through council services and partnerships with local charities and community organisations to ensure that all eligible pensioners in Kirklees Council are supported in claiming their entitlement.”

To receive oral questions in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 13(4):

-       Appeals Panel (Councillor Longstaff)

-       Corporate Governance and Audit Committee (Councillor Taylor)

-       District Wide Planning Committee (Councillor Ullah)

-       Health and Wellbeing Board (Councillor Addy)

-       Licensing and Safety Committee - including Licensing and Regulatory Panel (to be appointed at Agenda Item 13)

-       Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee (Councillor Burke)

-       Personnel Committee (to be appointed at Agenda Item 14)

-       Scrutiny Panel – Children’s (Councillor Ali)

-       Scrutiny Panel – Environment and Climate Change (Councillor Cooper)

-       Scrutiny Panel – Growth and Regeneration (Councillor Amin)

-       Scrutiny Panel – Health and Adult Social Care (Councillor J D Lawson)

-       Standards Committee (Councillor Armer)

-       Strategic Planning Committee (Councillor Homewood)

-       Kirklees Active Leisure (Councillor Sokhal)

-       One Adoption Joint Committee (Councillor Sewell)

-       West Yorkshire Combined Authority (Councillor Pattison)

-       West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee (Councillor McLoughlin)

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

-       West Yorkshire Joint Services Committee (Councillor Munir Ahmed)

-       West Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel (Councillor Lowe)