Decisions

The Council has been awarded a grant of £296,117 by  West Yorkshire Combined authority to deliverer its Adult Community learning programme for academic year 23/24

As part of the devolution deals, certain adult education functions in the Apprenticeships Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 which are funded by the AEB, were transferred from the Secretary of State for Education to the devolved MCAs in relation to their respective areas by Legislative Orders.

The main purpose of the Community Learning (CL) fund is to reach disadvantaged communities and individuals, to enable them to develop new skills, participate in learning and to progress towards further learning and/or sustainable employment. Community Learning supports wider government policies on localism, social justice, stronger families, digital inclusion and social mobility.

The decision is to receive external funding from West Yorkshire Combine authority; to enter into grant agreement with WYCA; and to deliver the ACL Programme.

The Service Director for Communities & Access Services has been delegated authority by the Strategic Director for Adults & Health to approve the Council’s Modern Slavery Statement on an annual basis.

The responsibility for the statement sits primarily within Communities and is led by the Kirklees Community Safety Partnership and the Modern Slavery lead.

Approval at Service Director level will allow for a seamless annual review, publication of the statement on the Council’s website and submission on the government register.

Delegate decision to approve the annual Modern Slavery Statement to the Service Director for Communities & Access Services.

As per the Procurement Strategy, an Open Above Threshold tender has been undertaken to appoint Service Provider(s) for the provision of statutory notice advertising.

Due to there not being one publication available that covers the whole of the Kirklees district, the contract is divided into 2 Lots:

•           Lot 1 covering the catchment area of North Kirklees, which includes the settlements of Batley, Birkenshaw, Birstall, Cleckheaton, Dewsbury, Gomersal, Heckmondwike, Liversedge, Mirfield, Roberttown, and Thornhill and the surrounding areas and villages; and

•           Lot 2 covering the catchment area of South Kirklees, with the areas and villages of Clayton West, Denby Dale, Emley, Flockton, Golcar, Hepworth, Holmfirth, Honley, Huddersfield, Kirkheaton, Lepton, Marsden, Meltham, Netherton, Shepley, Slaithwaite, and the rural areas and villages  in and around the Holme Valle, Colne Valley and parts of the Peak District National Park.

Contract Award is based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender.  The evaluation criteria used to evaluate the tenders received is 90% Price / 10% Social Value

Quality was evaluated on a Pass / Fail basis only on the proposed newspapers circulation and availability, circulation figures and compiling and typeset.

New contract due to commence 04 November 2023 for 2 years to 3 November 2025, with provision to extend for 2 periods of 1 years, to 3 November 2027.

The estimated annual value of the contract for lot 1 is £291,200 and the estimated annual value of the contract for lot 2 is £213,300.

Decision to award a corporate contract for producing and publishing the Council’s statutory public notices in the local press following a compliant procurement process in line with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

Application approved.

RESOLVED – That a Definitive Map Modification Order be made under Sections 53(c)(ii) and 53 (c)(iii) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (para. 13 refers) to (i) delete Meltham Footpath No.75 (draft map 1 points A-B refers) from Leygards Lane to Colders Drive and (ii) add a restricted byway from Legards Lane to No.67 Colders Lane (draft map 2 points A-C refers), which shall have a variable width of between 2.5m and 9m (map 2 refers).

Application approved.

Site visit undertaken.

No questions were asked.

No deputations or petitions were received.

It was noted that all agenda items would be considered in public session.

Councillors P Davies, Homewood, J D Lawson, Sokhal and Ullah advised that they had bee lobbied on Agenda Item 8 (Application for Definitive Map Modification Order).

Councillor Bellamy advised that, in relation to Agenda Item 10, she is a Member of Holme Valley Parish Council.

Approved as a correct record.

Councillor E Firth substituted for Councillor Kaushik.

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors McGuin and Safdar.

No interests were declared.

No questions were asked.

No questions were asked.

No deputations or petitions were received.

It was noted that all items would be considered in public.

RESOLVED - That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 11 July 2023 be approved as a correct record.

Cllr G Lowe submitted her resignation from the membership of Cabinet.

To consider the financial planning framework for consideration of forthcoming budget proposals and plans, informed by updated forward spend and funding forecasts.

RESOLVED – That the report be referred to the meeting of Council on 13 September 20233 with a recommendation;

1)    That the key risks to the delivery of the budget in 2023/24 be noted and that these would be subject to consideration as part of the regular Budget Monitoring reports submitted to the Cabinet;

2)    That the uncertainty with the funding outlook for the Council be noted, not least the limited progress on Local Government Finance reforms and that these would not take place before the next General Election;

3)    That subject to the continuation of the Business Rates Pooling arrangements, delegate authority to the Chief Executive and the Service Director Finance, in consultation with the Leader and the Finance and Regeneration Portfolio Holder, to determine whether the Council should continue as a member of the Leeds City Region Business Rates Pool in 2024/25;

4)    That the update to the Medium Term Financial Plan for 2024/29 as shown at Appendix A of the considered report be noted, and that in view of the uncertainty with some of the assumptions upon which the Plan is based, that it would remain under review as the Council’s budget process progresses;

5)    That the scenario analysis as shown at Appendix D which models ‘worst’ / ’best’ case scenarios around the baseline MTFP as part of the assessment of potential risks facing the Council be noted;

6)    That the Medium Term Financial Strategy as set out in the report be recommended for consideration and approval by Council;

7)  That as delegations allow, and in view of the significant financial challenge faced by the Council, note that early action would be taken to identify and implement budget reduction measures (consistent with the Medium Term Financial Strategy set out above) as a means of reducing the funding gap set out in this report;

8)  That in consultation with relevant Cabinet Members, request Officers to identity and bring forward proposals consistent with the Medium Term Financial Strategy set out in this report for consideration by Cabinet as part of their development of the budget for 2024/25;

9)  That the timetable set out in the report for the development of the Council’s Budget for 2024/25 be noted;

10)That, subject to consideration by respective Portfolio Holders, approval be given to any budget proposals arising from the work above be considered by the Cabinet in due course (and subject to the proposal on consultation below);

11)That subject to the work above and agreement with Councillors and recognising that it may be necessary to consult on specific matters as required, note that it is proposed to undertake consultation on the budget over Autumn 2023 with a view to informing decisions on the Council’s budget for 2024/25.