Agenda, decisions and minutes

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

Apologies were received on behalf of James Griffiths, Fara Butt, Charlie Dunn, Sam Heaton, Sophie Johnson, Iqbal Mohamed and Natalie Liddle.

Jackie Ramsden substituted on behalf of Natalie Liddle.

To approve the minutes of the meeting of the Board held on  6^th February 2025.

The minutes of the meeting dated 6^th February 2025 were not approved at this meeting.

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.

RESOLVED:

Keith Ramsay, Martin Walsh, Peter Mason, Jackie Ramsay and Anis Dadu declared a pecuniary interest in agenda item 7.

RESOLVED:

Keith Ramsay, Martin Walsh, Peter Mason, Jackie Ramsay and Anis Dadu declared a pecuniary interest in agenda item 7.

Most agenda items take place in public. This only changes where there is a need to consider exempt information, as contained at Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. You will be informed at this point which items are to be recommended for exclusion and to be resolved by the Board.

It was noted that Agenda item 12 would be considered in private session.

The meeting will hear any questions from the general public.

Questions should be emailed to executive.governance@kirklees.gov.uk no later than 5:00pm Friday 21 March 2025 .

Members of the public can ask questions relating to the work of the Town Board or issues set out on this agenda.

No Public Questions were considered at this meeting.

The Board 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.

No Deputations or Petitions were received.

To consider a report on acquisition of strategic property.

Contact: David Wildman, Acting Head of Town Centres,

               Michelle Illingworth, Project Officer, Dewsbury Town Investment 

               Plan.

RESOLVED:

1)    That the report be noted

2)    That, utilising the Building Grant Revival Scheme funds as part of the Town Deal allocation, approval be given to the acquisition and subsequent repairs to the strategic property as outlined in the private appendix.

3)    That, subject to the Plan for Neighbourhoods being approved by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, a recommendation be made to Kirklees Council as the accountable body, to: -

(i)            utilise the revenue funds from the Plan for Neighbourhoods for the annual holding costs of the property

(ii)          agree to further investment in the strategic property as part of the Regeneration Plan in order to facilitate the renovation and sale or lease of the property in the future.

The Board received a report regarding the purchase of a strategic property in Dewsbury using Building Grant Revival Scheme funding.  It was noted that this was the best option to help safeguard investment in the town.

As discussed at a previous Board Meeting, a request was made to enter discussions regarding the acquisition and repair of the building with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, who confirmed this was within scope of the Building Grant Revival Scheme as funds were intended to support the reinstatement of shop fronts to support wider regeneration and improve the image and appearance of the town centre.

Negotiations with the owner had taken place and a purchase price had been agreed.

RESOLVED-

1)    That the report be noted

2)    That, utilising the Building Grant Revival Scheme funds as part of the Town Deal allocation, approval be given to the acquisition and subsequent repairs to the strategic property as outlined in the private appendix.

3)    That, subject to the Plan for Neighbourhoods being approved by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, a recommendation be made to Kirklees Council as the accountable body, to: -

(i)            utilise the revenue funds from the Plan for Neighbourhoods for the annual holding costs of the property

(ii)          agree to further investment in the strategic property as part of the Regeneration Plan in order to facilitate the renovation and sale or lease of the property in the future.

To consider a report for the Plan for Neighbourhoods.

Contact: David Wildman, Acting Head of Town Centres,

               Michelle Illingworth, Project Officer, Dewsbury Town Investment

               Plan

RESOLVED:

1)      That a report be referred to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government with a recommendation that:-

(i)                  current Board Members beretained for the Neighbourhood Board

(ii)                the default geographical Boundary as defined by the Office for National Statistics be used for the Plan for Neighbourhood.

The Board received a report on Plan for Neighbourhoods.  On 4^th March 2025, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government confirmed further investment of up to £20m in Dewsbury as part of their Plan for Neighbourhoods.  The Board, working with the Local Authority, would be responsible for producing a 10-year regeneration plan, setting out the activity that would be pursued to achieve the three strategic objectives of the programme.

The Board noted that Kirklees Council had to confirm the Neighbourhood Board Membership and place boundaries by 22^nd April 2025.

The Board was informed that priorities for capacity funding were identified using feedback from a survey completed by Board Members and Council Officers which included establishing a multi-disciplinary safety and security team, developing and delivering a programme of events, engaging with businesses and developing housing and economic plans.

During discussion, the Board suggested that green space in relation to Caulms Wood be included in the boundary.  It was noted that this would need to be agreed with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Authority.

RESOLVED-

1)    That a report be referred to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government with a recommendation that:-

(i)            current Board Members be retained for the Neighbourhood Board

(ii)          the default geographical Boundary as defined by the Office for National Statistics be used for the Plan for Neighbourhood.

To discuss any other business.

The Board was updated on the resignation of Sue Baker, The Chair thanked Sue for her input in improving Dewsbury Town Centre over the time she had been a Board Member.

The Chair advised the Board that Iqbal Mohamed (MP) had requested an extraordinary meeting of the Board to discuss Dewsbury Sports Centre.  The Chair confirmed that he had requested a report be submitted to the next Board Meeting on the reasons to why the sports centre could not be refurbished, along with details on the piece of work that had been commissioned on Health and Wellbeing of people in Dewsbury.

Thursday 1^st May 2025

Location: Dewsbury Town Hall

For Terms of Reference please visit

https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/regeneration-and-development/pdf/dewsbury-town-board-terms-of-reference.pdf

Thursday 1^st May

Location: Dewsbury Town Hall

To resolve that under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following items 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.

RESOLVED – That acting under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the pubic be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Park 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as specifically stated in the undermentioned minutes.

RESOLVED – That acting under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the pubic be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Park 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as specifically stated in the undermentioned minutes.

To consider exempt information in relation to Agenda item 7.

RESOLVED- That the Committee noted the exempt information, which was an appendix to agenda item 7.

RESOLVED- That the Committee noted the exempt information, which was an appendix to agenda item 7.