Agenda item

To determine the arrangements for the allocation of seats on Joint Authorities for the 2026/2027 Municipal Year.

Contact: Leigh Webb, Head of Governance

(1)  That Council appoint the Leader as Kirklees Council’s Elected Member for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), with the Deputy Leader as the WYCA Substitute Member.

(2)  That Council delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with Group Leaders, WYCA’s Managing Director and other West Yorkshire Chief Executives, to jointly agree/appoint the 3 additional political balance Members and their substitutes to WYCA, so that the 8 constituent council members taken as a whole reflect the balance of political parties among members of WYCA’s constituent councils, so far as reasonably practicable.

(3)  That Council delegate authority to the Service Director – Legal, Governance and Commissioning (Monitoring Officer), in consultation with the Group Business Managers, to nominate members to WYCA Weaver Network Board: the relevant Portfolio Holder for Transport, a substitute, and political balance places if required. That it be noted that the Board will appoint to the Deputy Chair role.

(4)  That Council delegate authority to the Service Director – Legal, Governance and Commissioning (Monitoring Officer), in consultation with the Group Business Managers, to nominate members to WYCA Corporate Governance and Audit Committee: the Chair of Kirklees Corporate Governance and Audit Committee, a substitute, and political balance places if required. 

(5)  That Council delegate authority to the Service Director – Legal, Governance and Commissioning (Monitoring Officer), in consultation with the Group Business Managers, to nominate members to WYCA Investment Board: the relevant Portfolio Holder for Economy, a substitute, and political balance places if required. That it be noted that the Board will appoint to the Deputy Chair role.

(6)  That Council delegate authority to the Service Director – Legal, Governance and Commissioning (Monitoring Officer), in consultation with Group Business Managers, to nominate Members to WYCA Scrutiny Committee: Kirklees Chair of Scrutiny, a substitute, and political balance places if required. That it be noted that the Chair will be appointed by WYCA and that the Deputy Chair will be appointed from the Membership of the Committee.

(7)  That Council delegate authority to the Service Director – Legal, Governance and Commissioning (Monitoring Officer), in consultation with the relevant Group Business Manager, to make any additional/revised nominations to any WYCA Committee or Board, as required after this Council’s annual meeting. 

(8)  That Council delegate authority to the Service Director – Legal, Governance and Commissioning (Monitoring Officer), in consultation with the relevant Group Business Manager to nominate Members to the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority and note that this must reflect the political balance of Kirklees Council.

(9)  That Council delegate authority to the Service Director – Legal, Governance and Commissioning (Monitoring Officer), in consultation with the relevant Group Business Manager to nominate Members to West Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel in accordance with the requirements of that Panel, which must reflect the political balance across West Yorkshire.  That it be noted that these Members will also automatically be members of the Kirklees Communities Partnership Board.

(10)        That Council delegate authority to Service Director – Legal, Governance and Commissioning (Monitoring Officer), in consultation with the Group Business Managers to determine the appointment of Members/Representatives to the remaining Joint Authorities not otherwise set out in this report.

(11)        That it be noted that the Leader will nominate the relevant Portfolio Holder for membership of the Vision Zero Board.