Kirklees Council annual meeting date confirmed as members set to elect new leader and other key roles
All 69 Kirklees councillors will meet next week to elect the new Leader of the Council and make other key appointments.
A mixture of new and returning councillors were elected to represent wards across Kirklees in the all-out local election last week.
Reform UK secured 29 seats at the poll, followed by Independent candidates with 14, the Green Party with 12, the Conservative Party with nine and the Liberal Democrats with five.
On a catastrophic day for Labour, the party lost all of its seats and now has no representation on the council.
As the dust settles, it is up to the councillors – a mixture of newly-elected and re-elected members – to decide the fate of Kirklees Council.
The next steps for the council include several inductions, including receiving briefings from officers on council operations, the key issues Kirklees is facing, and major contacts.
The annual council meeting will take place at Huddersfield Town Hall on Wednesday, May 20, when all 69 councillors will be asked to elect a Leader of the Council and make other key appointments. Members will also elect a Mayor for the new municipal year.
The meeting will determine how many seats each political group receives on various committees. This must comply with the Local Government Regulations to ensure proportional representation for the new Reform UK majority and others.
Once the number of seats is decided, group business managers will nominate specific councillors to fill those spots. These assignments determine which individuals will have the power to influence specific policy areas like planning or licensing.
Councillors have been undergoing training sessions this week alongside information sessions on council decision-making and the support available to councillors to represent their wards.
Further training will be also be available to new councillors over the coming weeks. New members will also have access to ongoing support and advice from the Local Government Association.
A Kirklees Council spokesperson said: “We are helping newly elected councillors hit the ground running, with inductions already underway.
“Since Monday, councillors have been receiving briefings from officers on how the council operates, the key issues it faces and the contacts they will need to represent residents effectively.”