Agenda and decisions

This is where Councillors who are attending as substitutes will say for whom they are attending.

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Munro and Pandor.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 11 March 2020

RESOLVED - That the minutes of the meeting held on the 11 March 2020 be 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.

It was noted that Councillors Armer, Bolt and Davies were Members of either a Town or Parish Council.

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 items would be considered in public 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.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10 (2), Members of the Public should provide at least 24 hours’ notice of presenting a deputation.  

No deputations or petitions were considered.

The Committee will hear any questions from the general public. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, questions should be submitted via executive.governance@kirklees.gov.uk no later than 10am on 28 September 2020.

The following question had been sent in form Mrs G Humphries:

“Does the standards committee only deal with matters concerning councillors? Has any complaint that has been sent ever been upheld or are they just a way of appearing to listen to the public and then ignoring or dismissing a complaint? After a statement sent to me about a recent complaint from the monitoring officer which stated....

There is a possibility that he may have been mistaken in his recollection of the precise route given the time period that has elapsed" which I find totally unacceptable. It could have just as easily said "It does not matter what a councillor says at a committee meeting whether it is true or not, as long as they say that they thought it was true" Just another way to dismiss a complaint. This is one of the reasons that people do trust the complaints procedure. And why are any complaint that are sent about the planning and highways reports presented to a planning committee simply ignored and get no response at all? Who is responsible for the complaint about these departments? As officers or departments working for Kirklees surly someone must be responsible for the inaccurate and misleading information, they present to committees. Or again doesn't it matter if people and committees are not given the full facts and only receive a sub-standard and misleading report?”

A verbal response was provided by the Chair, Cllr Davies, with an undertaking that a full written response would be sent to Mrs Humphries including the terms of reference for the Committee and the complaints procedure.

To receive a report looking at the complaints received since 11 March 2020

Contact Officer: David Stickley – Senior Legal Officer - 01484 221000

RESOLVED -  That the report be received and noted

To receive a report setting out news and cases of interest since March 2020.

Contact Officer: David Stickley – Senior Legal Officer - 01484 221000

RESOLVED -  That the report be received and noted.

To receive an update on the current review.

RESOLVED -  That the report be received and noted.