Prime Minister Rishi Sunak declares Kirklees Council 'not fit for purpose'
Dear Kirklees Borough Council,
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak declares Kirklees Council 'not fit for purpose'
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/pr...
As Kirklees Council continues to make cuts to its services to address the £47m black hole in its budget, the Prime Minister has spoken of his “disappointment” in the local authority. This comes at a time when care homes and leisure centres are in the council’s firing line.
The subject arose at Prime Minister’s Questions on November 15 where Dewsbury MP Mark Eastwood said: “ Kirklees Council have closed Dewsbury sports centre; delivered just 14 per cent of educational healthcare plans within a 20-week target; are unable to deliver a five-year land supply – just three of its many failings.
“Now they want to introduce extortionate car parking charges, punishing hard-working families and destroying the high street in our towns and villages. Would my right honourable friend agree with me that Labour-run Kirklees Council is no longer fit for purpose?”
In response, the Prime Minister said: “I share my honourable friend’s disappointment with the Labour-run council in Kirklees. Just this week we saw, I believe, a Labour councillor suspended for antisemitism. As he said, they’ve also closed Dewsbury sports centre and are proposing to increase car parking charges, punishing local businesses and shoppers in the run-up to Christmas. The council is clearly no longer fit for purpose and local residents deserve better.”
Yours faithfully,
mitchell
Dear Elaine Mitchell,
There isn't a request for information in this email therefore we will not process this as a Freedom of Information request.
Kind regards
Information Governance Team
Kirklees Council
Governance Service
PO Box 1720
HUDDERSFIELD
HD1 9EL
For more information about how we deal with your personal data, please see the Kirklees Council privacy notice
Dear Freedom Info,
I would like to know if the this is true - £47m black hole?
What cuts are being made to save money?
Yours sincerely,
mitchell
Dear Elaine Mitchell,
Reference number: 35021
I confirm receipt of your information request and that we are dealing with this and will respond to you in due course.
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Regards
Information Governance Team
Kirklees Council
Governance Service
PO Box 1720
HUDDERSFIELD
HD1 9EL
For more information about how we deal with your personal data, please see the Kirklees Council privacy notice
Dear Ms Mitchell
I am writing in response to your request dated 4 December 2023 . This has
been dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
You asked for the following information:
I would like to know if the this is true - £47m black hole?
What cuts are being made to save money?
The Council’s response to your specific questions is set out below:
The current ‘budget gap’ facing the Council is constantly changing as
costs for things like energy change, as service demand pressures change,
and as we continually take action to reduce spending across all our
services.
Our most recent estimate of our ‘budget gap’ was set out in our Medium
Term Financial Plan published in September 2023,
[1]https://democracy.kirklees.gov.uk/docume...,
which outlines a £47.8m identified ‘gap’ for 24/25 financial year.
We provide updates on our current position relating to our finances
through quarterly financial monitoring - the latest (Corporate Financial
Monitoring Report, Quarter 2, 2023/24) can be accessed via the Cabinet
Papers here;
[2]https://democracy.kirklees.gov.uk/docume...,
and here;
[3]https://democracy.kirklees.gov.uk/docume...
documentation provides an update on the forecasted in-year (23/24
financial year) overspend position, which is currently at £16.1m. This has
reduced from £20.3m in July.
In terms of savings to help reduce our spending - we set out a range of
measures to be delivered this year in the setting of our annual budget for
23/24. Those savings are detailed in the Council Papers available here:
[4]https://democracy.kirklees.gov.uk/docume...,
specifically in Appendix B, starting from page 95.
We are currently taking a range of measures to reduce our spending
further, and considering further savings proposals that will be
implemented from April next year. Some of which have been out for public
consultation. These will all be set out for decision in the next annual
budget, that will be decided by Council on the 6 March 2024. Papers for
this meeting will be published on the 21st February 2024, and details
around all the proposed savings will be found in those papers. You can
access all publicly available documentation on our website, and the budget
papers for 24/25 when they are published here
[5]https://democracy.kirklees.gov.uk/mgCale....
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[6]www.ico.org.uk
For the avoidance of doubt the provision of council (and other) officer
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If you are not content with the handling of your request, you have the
right to ask for an internal review. Requests for internal reviews should
be submitted within 2 months of the date of receipt of the response to
your original request and should be addressed to the Monitoring Officer,
1^st Floor, Civic Centre 3, Market Street, Huddersfield HD1 2EY.
Alternatively, you can send an email to:
[7][email address].
Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.
If you are not content with the outcome of any review you have the right
under section 50 of the 2000 Act to apply to the Information Commissioner
for a decision as to whether your request for information has been dealt
with in accordance with the requirements of the Act. The Information
Commissioner’s website is at [8]www.ico.org.uk and gives more information
about the role and duties of the Commissioner. The ICO telephone helpline
on 0303 123 1113 or 01625 545745 is available between 9am and 5pm, Monday
to Friday.
Yours sincerely
John Shannon
Information Governance Team
Kirklees Council, Governance Service
Telephone: 01484 221000 (voice activated switchboard – please ask for
Freedom of Information)
For more information about how we deal with your personal data, please see
the [9]Kirklees Council privacy notice
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