Wakefield Council | Cabinet Meeting – 16 January 2024
Yeah anybody think you got some reports I’ll turn that off okay um good morning everybody um good to see we’ve got a full attendance this morning nice to see people um we haven’t any apologies so um can we move on to the minutes can we approve
The minutes of the meeting on the 12th of December yes chair thank you um just one announcement to make um our chief executive Andrew um will be retiring at the end of March um just like to pay tribute to him today now I’m sure um we’ll probably have more tributes Andrew
Than Frank fatra leaving do before we finish but I didn’t want to let it pass this morning without saying what an amazing chief executive being and how you got us through Co um was amazing really the work that you did on that but we’ll be saying a lot more um as as the
Months go by so thank you for that um with no urgent items I draw your attention to the item five exclusion of public and press I don’t think there’s anything that we need to exclude you from um and draw your attention to members Declaration of Interest okay um we’re go on to key
Decisions um support for the high streets Michael well thanks Denise um so this first one is asking cabinet to Mage two different funds the retail enhancement fund and the C appeal fund so just to give some background we’ve had a lot of different grants and and funds to support local businesses and
That’s in the face of some massive challenges that we’ve seen lately obviously the the huge rise in online shopping and I think people really underestimate just how how big of a of an issue online shopping is you know my friend ordered something to my house the
Other day and it was 16 deliveries away from the house so thought it must be down in normon it was in the street next to us so that’s 16 people in one street getting an Amazon delivery that day so it it is huge the number of people shopping online we’ve also got people
Working at home which has really had a knock on effect to to businesses and also the the cost of living crisis so lots of huge challenges facing our businesses right across the district and we’ve put out lots of different funded opportunities lots of support through wigfield fa to to help people
And this is another way of doing that so there are some changes on agenda page 12 which set out why we’re doing this so increasing the intervention rate to 80% a maximum Grant of 10,000 C instead of 8,000 and changing where it’s targeted as well so that more people get to
Benefit from this support you can already see some of the places we’ve had different schemes and how they’ve been funded as well so not inly Castleford Hy Hemsworth o that the list goes on funding from the towns deal funding from ourselves UK SPF historic England you know there’s a wide range of investment
There and a wide range of being spread out so really great and the results have been fantastic too we know we’ve got voids throughout Wakefield throughout Castleford and we’ve we’re filling those up due to this grant so lots of good improvements happening so with that the options for recommendation I’d like
Cabinet to take option one which is to approve the Merin into a single High Street investment fund which will impact more businesses and continue that support any comments any questions just one uh quick uh comment here I think um what what we’re seeing uh out of Castleford town center and
That is a number of uh shops in airdale like Asda uh test go Express things like that they’re springing up on the on the outsides and the footfalls going there and taking it away from some of the Town centers and I do agree with your point about online shopping it’s easy it’s
Efficient and people are doing it uh more and more so I really do welcome this support because I think it’ll change the way the operators start to see things and I think that’s the that’s the real key so uh I welcome the support and I I hope it works but I
Think we’ll be sat around this table discussing it on a regular basis now because I I don’t think online shopping is going to go away yeah thanks Les I think it’s definitely it’s an uphill battle and I think you’re completely right the trend is to move outwards because it’s better
For businesses and at the end of the day it’s up to people you can either go along and and and and buy online or you can fight against it but I think there’s a real need to diversify businesses within the city center and within our towns and offer that entertainment and
We’ve been banging on about it you know it’s time to deliver those three things there online shopping homeworking cost of living you know shop in person get back into work and let’s get a labor government and I think we’ll have them sorted so they are looking forward to
It yeah I I think I think that’s good and I think it’s the way forward but when you think about um I know online shopping seems to be it but I actually like to do shopping face to face and I do think um the owners of the riding
Zahed has been an amazing the difference it’s made to the ridings it’s worth going in now shops are opening and people are in there it shows what can be done if we all work together and we are working in partnership with him as you know Michael you’re doing that and it’s
Working really well so um if there’s no more comments can we agree the report agreed thank you okay um you’re on again so this one a little bit more boring it’s it’s a policy but but what’s going to come out of the policy is really great for the district so the Wakefield District
Economic well-being strategy the gist of it is we’ve had an economic strategy over the last 5 years it’s now coming to the end and like any good policy or strategy you change it and you’d adapt it for the the new challenges that are that are on the horizon we’ve just
Talked about some of the challenges that are facing us there but what I didn’t want with this is a policy sat on a Dusty shelf that we never look at you know we want awaken documents something that we’re going to constantly refer back to so we’ve spoken to all of the
Key stakeholders we’ve learned from the big conversation you know speaking to elected members every Department across the council and we’ve develop this new well-being strategy which isn’t just about you know creating money and growing the economy within the district for for some people it’s about growing the economy for for everyone and making
Sure that everyone benefits from more coming into the district the policy itself is on agenda page 30 no 27 so it starts there and as you can see it’s very succinct and it’s very clear as to what our Ambitions are how we’re going to achieve that and what some of
The results are so it’s not pages and pages of of detail it’s really you know key Ambitions that we can agree to that we can achieve and hopefully you know in a years or two time we’ll all know them off by Art we can all be saying this is
What we’re achieving for our communities so things like spending more money in Wakefield from businesses better connecting local people to Quality jobs here driving aspirations and a lot of the green agendas in there as well adapting to the demands of that so if there’s any questions happy to take them
I just want to point out that in the on the face page of it the four words unless you can read Latin you won’t so that will be this will go to full Council and that will be in English for when we get there so everyone can
Understand um but yeah happy to take any questions and hope you can approve that policy yeah thank you Lydia I really welcome this report Michael thank you for yourself your team working on this agenda it’s so important and what I really particularly am pleased to see in it is the emphasis around DEC
Carbonization the green agenda the jobs of the future but also a just transition for workers because I think as you said in your opening remarks all too often wealth creation is seen in terms of GDP and statistics and not in people’s lives but actually this strategy puts it back
On how we can improve people’s lives looking at social value looking at other things in the economic factors that make people happy and prosperous so thinks is exactly where we need to be going as a council and welcome it very much anyone else okay can we agree the report and a strategic
Acquisition yeah last of the hattick so I’ll be really quick at this one and we’ve had these come to the cabinet before and these are our Acquisitions for the towns fund for Castleford and Wakefield this one’s in Wakefield and as usual the commercially sensitive stuff’s
On the pink paper so if you’d like to ask any questions on that and we will have to Chuck everyone out of the room um but happy to take any questions on the the white report if there are any but if not yet please approve that and
We can crack on getting a spade in the ground on some of these projects any comments it’s good I just think sooner we crack on with this the better um these things take a long time I I do notice on Facebook we’re being criticized um people think that we’re
Not spending the money um but I don’t think they realize how long these acquisition take um and we just have to keep getting the message out that we are doing everything but and it will be delivered but I think people are impatient and don’t quite understand just how long these things take Margaret
Yeah I’d just like to comment Michael wonderful uh I think when we’re talking about the ice Street in the in your first item the what you planned for Cathedral Square it’s we’ve got to attract people in and you attract people in by producing areas like that for them
To to meet up and and enjoy and then go shopping as well so so so the things work actually in tandem I think so it’s it’s brilliant great getting out with it yeah thanks Margaret I I know there’s some Skeptics out there about you know creating public spaces more Greening and
More events Etc but uh there are groups out there and ourself as a council need spaces like that and and can animate them throughout the year and you know we can sit around and and have that City sit there as it is and try and do things
How we’ve always done things it’s not going to work we know it’s times have changed we need to try something new and you know I will totally agree with you didn’t on on the funding aspect we get money from government everyone’s so Bor of us saying this now but they’ve cut money
Every single year and then they hand you a little bit back but in a lump sum and give you a ridiculous time scale to spend it in it it’s absolutely ludicrous and then your sa is sounding ungrateful for for get for being given 15 20 million so you look stupid but it’s true
The time scales are ridiculous and once everyone knows we’ve got this money to spend it makes everything very very difficult to to do and so just a terrible way of doing stuff and yeah we’re all sick of it but let we’re doing a good job and let’s continue I’m
Looking forward to what we’ve got coming here yeah if we were fund it properly in the first place we wouldn’t need to be having the handouts but anyway that’s a different story so can we agree the report thanks very much um item 10 is building a fair of future and I’m really
Pleased that um we’re bringing the council’s draft corporate plan for 2024 26 um which we’ll be going to full Council shortly um it building a fairer future is what this plan is all about and we’re focused on everybody um across the district and I’d like to thank everybody who’s been involved in working
Towards this plan officers um members of the public who took part in the big conversation um we spoke to over a thousand people and it it made such a difference people we’ve just heard people like to give their opinions whether they’re what we want to hear or
Whether they’re criticizing us but we do want to hear what people think so the big conversation was was a great success and we are looking how we can incorporate that in future but everybody has played a full Central role in this plan and it builds on the achievements
That we’ve made since 2022 to improve the lives and places of the district um the plan sets out six priorities which I’ll be recommending to full Council on the 24th um these include delivering our year 2024 a year-long festival program bringing residents and communities together developing projects to deliver
The Ambitions of our economic well-being strategy improving the well-being of local people and communities delivering on our health and well-being strategy to ensure a strong focus on health inequalities and improve the health of the population to continue to support children and their families to receive
The help they need at the right time and delivering against our carbon and Net Zero targets so I’m pleased to recommend this report this morning um and take it on to council at next week there any comments questions we all happy with that yes okay thanks very
Much um the next item item 11 is the um Financial Health Report this report can be found on agenda Pages 99 9 to 122 informing cabinet of the latest forecast position against the revenue budget for the current Financial year which is an overspend of 3.4 million an
Increase of 1.1 million to that which was previously reported as I have commented previously cabinet colleagues will be aware that the economic climate continues to have significant impact on the council and all local authorities resulting in an increased demand and rising cost s table two on agenda 102 provides a summary position on
Directorate by directorate including a comparison to previous month section 3.1 of the report on agenda page 101 gives a summary of the council’s progress against the delivery of agreed budget savings for this year in total the forecast is that 89% of those put forward will be implemented by the end
Of year which equates to 12.5 million the recommendations are set out in section two and can be found on page 100 and with that ask we to agree the report we okay with that counc thank [Applause] you and then item 12 is the initial Revenue budget proposals for
2425 in October we set out our first St step of the budget say with a publication of the council’s medium-term financial strategy and in response to and in response to this in December cabinet approved the initial series of budget savings and efficiency proposals in today’s report which commences on page
123 sets out the council’s full range of initial budget proposals for the upcoming Financial year this includes the impact of the government’s Autumn statement and the local government provision settlement which was only received on the 18th of December it’s always last minute when we haven’t time
To sort anything else out whil there is an increase in the government funding this has not kept pace with inflation and demand um that the council are facing including including Wakefield every council is facing really real problems overall there is a budget challenge of 33 million for the council
To address an appendix one to the report details how this account has been determined the budget will help deliver an update corporate plan which sets out our Ambitions to improve the lives of our residents to make sure that our district has a sustainable future these proposals for today have not been made
Lightly and have not and have been the subject of robust discussions and debate the council is committed to minimize as far as possible the impact of funding cuts on the delivery of our Priority Services and protect actual jobs I’d also like to emphasize that while there are difficult decisions to be made the
Council remains in a resilient financial position and this is a testament to the tough decisions we are taking is also a testament to our officers who have worked tirelessly on this budget to make sure that we we as successful as we can be in these difficult times and I do
Pray tribute Caroline to you and your team and if you pass that on to them because you know it’s all right politicians saying we’re doing this but really it’s people in the backro who do so much so much work um the recommendations are set out in section two can be found on page
125 and I ask that we agree this report and move it on to council agreed okay thank [Applause] you thank you Denise uh just very quick and simple report as so for Council consider adopt the of revised state of community involvement what sets out how the council consult with a board of
Spectrum of people and organizing all planning matters and at different stages of the planning process so can I uh recommend option one at 4.1 pleas okay we happy with that yep fine thank you okay uh the local plan yes the local plan sets out policies and land allocations for guiding new development
And protecting the environment up to 2036 work originally started on the plan in 2017 and the process includes several rounds of consultation with local people visitors and other stakeholders following public examination to scrutinize all aspects of the plan the plan inspector has independently confirmed that it is legal in compliant
And sound this is a comination of a lot of hard work by the council and I’m grateful to everybody who took part and made their views known to us without a local plan communities are unprotected from speculative de development this means that development will still happen but too often inapo in
Inappropriate locations and without the right infrastructure in place instead the plan will enable coordination and subst substantial development unlocking unlocking should I say significant invest investment supporting creation of housing jobs that are needed by the communities in this District it it will also make sure developments are well
Designed and connect to public transport networks improving Transportation infrastructure including our highways and walking cycling and other I therefore delighted that the plan has been deemed sound and legally compliant and ask the cabinet endorses recommendations in the report so it can refer to full Council thank you for that Matthew any
Comments any questions I think it’s an excellent plan CH I think uh I think it’s what theyed around the district and think well don’t I think it’s just the combination of many many years least I know you’ve been involved with this for many many years through the ldf and the UN
Development plan before that as a Wayfield Council we have always made sure we’ve provided that allocation of houses as protected massive sways of green belt land if we didn’t have that then everywhere’s up ground and we don’t nobody wants that yeah I mean local development plans don’t suit everybody
And we do know that there are issues across the district where people are not happy with the house building but I have to say again um paying tribute to the the team in planning I mean we’ve got a great reputation in Wakefield um for delivering our ldfs on time um and
Bringing investment into the district I know everybody doesn’t want houses in their backyard but there is such a shortage of houses hous and development and and I think this plan um will set out what what we can achieve but also people who want to um object later down
The line when the applications come in so local people’s voices will still be heard so anyone else want the comments just to say you are right if we didn’t have a local plan if we wasn’t building houses the house in crisis would 10 times worse you’ve got to keep people
Moving about from moving into starter homes to moving into family homes and it’s it’s interesting there’s this this myth that we’re building houses for other people to move into Wayfield I was on a development in Newton Hill uh off Le Road in my w and the majority of
People that live on that state now have moved from smaller properties into bigger family homes from rfor outward Stanley area so people are still we are get we are trct to people from elsewhere but we are building homes for our own communities as well that’s good yeah
Okay so we’ll refer it to the full Council next week thanks very much can we agree that that concludes the meeting thank [Applause] you