Kirklees Future Shaped by Key Decisions Made This Week

This week, Kirklees Council made some big choices that will affect the borough’s future. Cabinet and Full Council meetings happened recently, and both had many important topics to discuss.

The Cabinet moved forward with a plan to transfer two dementia care homes. Private companies will now run Castle Grange and Claremont House, a change which families of residents opposed. The draft budget also got approved, including a Council Tax increase of 4.99 percent.

Councillors disagree about this budget plan, but they also agreed to increase temporary housing for homeless people. Specifically, Newsome’s Castle Grange and Heckmondwike’s Claremont House will transfer, with private firms managing them despite family opposition. Four companies bid for the homes, and the council can now proceed with the transfer.

Campaigners tried to stop the transfer, and many residents signed a petition against the move. Opposition members wanted more financial details first and asked to postpone the decision, however. Cabinet received the financial details, with the council claiming it will save £800k per year.

Campaigners believe the council would have a surplus, and a legal challenge is possible, indicating the fight might not be over yet. The upcoming budget includes the Council Tax increase, job cuts, and more savings. The Labour Cabinet approved it this week, but all councillors will vote on the final budget in March, requiring a majority vote for approval.

However, some plans were removed from the budget, meaning they won’t reduce grey bin sizes, and libraries will not become community-run. Yet, the council still needs to save £11 million. This will be achieved by reducing administrative costs and freezing recruitment for some jobs.

The council claims efficiencies are possible, but one hundred full-time jobs may be cut, leading to split opinions, with some calling it stable while others worry. The Cabinet also agreed to increase temporary housing for homeless people in Kirklees, as the council relies on hotels now. This will cost £7.84 million this year, exceeding the budget of £3.42 million.

To address this, the council increased the budget to £7.02 million to better control costs. They will lease properties from landlords and previously housed fourteen families in student housing as a successful pilot. They will now lease 38 properties at that site. The council acknowledges it can’t solve the crisis alone but can make similar lease agreements elsewhere too.

Furthermore, councillors confirmed an investment for burial space, with Dewsbury and Batley receiving £500k after a motion passed. Funding is already allocated for this but will only be spent in these areas. The investment is needed because burial space is limited, contributing to a shortage in Kirklees. The council emphasizes the need for transparency, collaboration, and community involvement.

Regarding governance, the council supports the Cabinet system and voted against a committee system. Greens, Lib Dems, and independents favored committees, while Labour and Tories opposed this change. The Labour group said committees are not beneficial, calling the other idea less transparent and potentially costing £300k. The opposition argued it would create fairness and allow all parties to participate.

Finally, implementing a committee system requires signatures, needing five percent of Kirklees voters, around 17,000 people, to sign a petition. This would trigger a town-wide vote, with supporters hoping to time the referendum with the 2026 elections.