Council tax hike, job cuts and savings confirmed for Kirklees after eight-hour council meeting

Leader of the council, Councillor Carole Pattison, acknowledged that “difficult decisions” had been made when producing the budget in order to avoid the fate of other local authorities which have required government bailouts.

Introducing Labour’s proposals, she said: “It’s a budget that turns a corner for Kirklees and it will help us to get the basics right and it will invest in the future for families and communities across Kirklees.

"After years of uncertainty across local government, we have the opportunity tonight to fix the foundations of our budget.”

The group’s plan set out £11m worth of savings, with these primarily coming from reducing administrative costs, maintaining a freeze on recruitment to many council jobs, and efficiencies that have the “lowest possible” impact on frontline services.

A 4.99 per cent council tax increase was also agreed and up to 100 full time equivalent posts put at risk of redundancy.

The budget also includes an extra £63m to pay for increasing demand and costs for vital services like social care for older residents and local children who need support and protection.

Half a million pounds was agreed for winter maintenance and some unpopular proposals like a reduction in the size of grey bins and making community-run libraries, were axed.

The budget also sets out the council’s £1.4bn programme of investment across Kirklees which includes Huddersfield Blueprint and Cultural Heart, Dewsbury Blueprint and the regeneration of Kirklees’ smaller towns and villages.

The amendments from the opposition shared several common themes including dissatisfaction in the level of investment being put into Huddersfield compared to other parts of the borough.

All three groups wanted to see Cleckheaton Town Hall back up and running, and a leisure centre for Dewsbury.

For Labour’s budget motion or any of the amendments to pass, a majority needed to be reached across all 69 councillors, but when it came to the vote, every single one fell.

This saw the meeting adjourned and groups split into break-out rooms to negotiate and come up with alternative amendments.

After more than three hours of discussions, the new Tory amendment was set out by group leader Coun David Hall.

The amendment cut back several elements of the group’s original proposals, including money for a feasibility study to look at the future of Dewsbury Sports Centre and £10m investment in the town’s leisure provision suggested for 2029/30.

Councillor Hall said he had been ‘assured’ by Coun Pattison that work is ongoing to identify the needs of Dewsbury in terms of its leisure facilities, with cabinet to come up with a plan for a replacement “in good time”.

After the new amendments had been read out there was set to be a debate but deputy leader of the Conservatives, Coun John Taylor, proposed that members proceed straight to the vote, with this agreed through a Labour and Tory majority.

Soon after, another majority of Labour and Tory members supported Labour’s budget with the Conservative amendments, and this was passed by 38 votes to 26.