Agenda and decisions

To receive apologies for absence of Members who are unable to attend this meeting.

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillor Ahmed.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 3 October, 12 October and 18 October 2016.

Approved as a correct record.

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

No interests were declared.

Most debates take place in public. This only changes when there is a need to consider certain issues, for instance, commercially sensitive information or details concerning an individual. You will be told at this point whether there are any items on the Agenda which are to be discussed in private.

It was noted that Agenda Item 15 would be considered in private session.

The Committee 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.

No deputations or petitions were received.

The Committee will hear any questions from the general public.

No questions were asked.

To consider questions from Councillors.

No questions were asked.

A report setting out guidelines and the interim policy for dealing with affordable housing contributions in new housing developments.

Officer: Simon Taylor

1.    That the report be noted and that the introduction of an Interim Affordable Housing Police be endorsed, subject to minor wording amendments at paragraphs 2.7 a and 3.3 of the report.

2.    That a report be submitted to a meeting of Council to seek approval of the Policy.

A report seeking approval of the updated local flood risk management strategy, to reflect new evidence and information following the flooding in December 2015.

Officer: Tom Ghee – 01484 221000

1.    That the report and updated Flood Risk Management Strategy be received and noted.

2.    That a report be submitted to the meeting of Council on 14 December 2016 to seek approval of the updated strategy. 

A report seeking approval for Christmas parking concessions in respect of Huddersfield, Holmfirth and Dewsbury for 2016.

Officer: Paul Hawkins: 01484 221000

1.    That the 2016 christmas parking concessions as detailed at paragraphs 2.2 and 2.3 of the considered report be approved.

2.    That businesses within the town centres be asked to encourage employees not to utilise the provision and negate the aim and purpose of the concession.

A report providing information on the Council’s 2016-17 forecast financial outturn position for General Fund revenue, Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and Capital Plan, as at Quarter 2 (month 6).  The report also incorporates the mid-year summary of treasury management operational activity; covering the period 1 April to 30 September.

Officer: Eamonn Croston: 01484 221000

1.    That, in relation to the General Revenue Fund, (i) the proposals to increase earmarked (risk) reserves drawndown by a further £1.9m to £4.8m to resources additional children’s service development costs be approved (para 2.2 refers) (ii) the forecast £5.1m forecast revenue overspend position for 2016-2017, net of the proposed reserves drawndown in (i) above (para 2.1 refers) be noted (iii) it be noted that a report will be submitted to a future Cabinet meeting following clarification of liability for site clearance costs relating to the environmental incident at a commercial site in Lockwood (iv) the forecast outturn position on collection fund (paras 3.9 and 3.10 refer) and forecast movements in reserves and balances in-year (paras 3.6 to 3.8 refer) be noted (v) the proposals to bring the forecast £5.1m overspend in line with budgets by current year end, and other actions to build up available reserves to support the Medium Term Financial Plan from 2017 onwards (para 3.4 refers) be noted (vi) a report be submitted to Cabinet on 15 December 2016 regarding management actions being taken to mitigate the increasing overspend in Learning Disabilities (para 3.5 refers) and (vii) a report be submitted to a future Cabinet meeting to consider how the Mount Pleasant £3.3m potential release from the rollover reserve could be used (para 3.8 refers).

2.    That, in relation to the Housing Revenue Account, the forecast revenue outurn position for 2016-2017 (para 2.10 and Appendix A refer) and the forecast HRA reserves position at year end (Appendix B refers) be noted.

3.    That, in relation to Capital, (i) the forecast capital outurn position for 2016-2017 (para 2.10 and Appendix A) be noted and (ii) approval be given to the transfer of £500k from the IT Revenue budget into the ‘Corporate Facilities IT’ Capital Programme budget.

4.    That, in relation to Treasury Management, the mid-year summary on Treasury Management activity for 2016-2017 (Appendix A refers) be noted.  

A report setting out the outcomes from the non-statutory consultation that took place between 16^th May 2016 and 17th June 2016 for Members’ consideration on proposals for changes to specialist provisions at Ashbrow School, Moldgreen Community Primary School & Thornhill Junior and Infant School and seeking a decision about the way forward.

Officer: Jo-Anne Sanders: 01484 221000

1.    That the feedback to the non-statutory consultation process, as detailed within the considered report, be noted.

2.    That, with regard to Moldgreen Community Primary School, officers be authorised to publish statutory proposals and notices to discontinue the 10 transitional places for children with autism, and that a report be brought back to a future meeting of Cabinet for final decision, with a view to implementing the proposals from 1 April 2017, if approved.

3.    That, with regard to Thornhill Junior and Infant School, it be noted that as part of the conversion to become an Academy, the matter of discontinuance of specialist provision was considered and the agreement does not include any specialist provision.

4.    That a proposal to discontinue the 12 transitional places for children with speech, language and communication needs at Ashbrow School in order to commission outreach provision as referred to in (5) below be noted.

5.    That, with regard to primary outreach provision for Speech, Language and Communication Needs and Autism across Kirklees, a proposal to increase resources to a centralised primary outreach provision ‘hub’ to serve Kirklees be noted and that approval be given to seeking expressions of interest for a school to host a specialist provision with 12 transitional places, following which a further report will be submitted to Cabinet.

6.    That the next steps and timescales for the subsequent stage of the statutory process be noted, and that a further report be submitted to Cabinet for decision following the representation period.

7.    That officers be requested to carry out preliminary and preparatory work with parents, governing bodies and staff to enable a successful implementation, subject to agreement of the proposals, by engagement with relevant parties in the planning stages of the future specialist resource provision in mainstream schools.

A report seeking approval of the disposal of the land at Bradford Road, Dewsbury, as illustrated in the site plan at appendix one.

Officer: Andy Jackson: 01484 221000

1.    That approval be given to the disposal of Land at Bradford Road, Dewsbury, as illustrated in Appendix 1 of the considered report, to Kirklees College, for the provision of the Dewsbury Learning Quarter.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Assistant Director (Legal, Governance and Monitoring) in consultation with the Assistant Director (Place) to enter into all appropriate contracts, deeds and documents in relation to the sale of the land at Bradford Road, Dewsbury, with Kirklees College.

3.    That authority be delegated to the Assistant Director (Place) in consultation with the Assistant Director (Legal, Governance and Monitoring) to agree any reasonable adjustments in relation to abnormal site costs associated with the specific college development. 

To resolve that under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business, on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information, as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

That acting under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as specifically stated in the undermentioned Minute.

A private report relating to the previous cabinet agenda item.

This Appendix is recommended for consideration in private because the information contained in it is exempt information within Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006. It is considered the report contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information). The public interest in maintaining the exemption, which would protect the interests of the Council and third party organisations concerned, outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information and providing greater openness in the Council’s decision making.

Officer: Andy Jackson 01484 221000

The exempt information was noted prior to the determination of Agenda Item 13.