13.02.20
Major investment plans for Kirklees council approved
Major investment plans set out by Kirklees Council have been given the green light following budget approval.
Yesterday (Feb 12) saw the Full Council vote to approve Kirklees Council’s Budget proposals for 2020-21. Included in the report are plans for regeneration, tackling climate change and achieving outstanding children’s services.
As well as working to deliver these three key areas of ambition over the next financial year, it will continue to deliver its daily statutory services for the people in the region within its newly approved budget.
Regeneration plans for Huddersfield and Dewsbury town centres will benefit from a further £68m investment. Smaller towns and villages will be regenerated and made more green through a £10m funding package and £15m will go towards improving the road network across Kirklees.
Local priorities such as dealing with ‘grot spots’ in the area, tidying up the streets and boosting local initiatives are included in the approved plans with a current budget of £500,000, rising to £1m in 2021-22 and £1.5m a year by 2022-23.
Following the Council’s climate emergency declaration in November 2019, £2m will be invested into making it easier for people to recycle and reduce waste and £2.4, will be spent on a fleet of council electric vehicles and infrastructure such as charging points.
Local residents will also be incentivised to make the switch to electric vehicles to help reach carbon neutrality targets.
Other budget plans focused on the climate emergency include;
- £14.6m for a heat network in Huddersfield
- £1.1m to review school transport across Kirklees
- £2m to work with local services to encourage walking, cycling or car alternatives
- £750,000 will be put in a programme to plant trees, working with children and young people
Children’s services in Kirklees are aiming to become Good and then Outstanding. To support this a package of measures have been set out including foster carer support, Multi Systemic Therapy for children in the care system and investment into tackling anti- social behaviour, gang and knife crime.
Councillor Shabir Pandor, Leader of Kirklees Council, said:
“Kirklees has lost 60 per cent of its national finding since 2010 - approximately £150million.
“We are the seventh lowest funded council in the country, per head of the population. We don’t get a fair deal but we will never let this get in the way of our ambition.
“It is more important than ever that the money we do have in our Budget is invested in the right areas. That’s what this budget is all about and I’m proud to present it.
“We want to continue with large-scale investments that deliver improvements across Kirklees, transforming our town centres and communities. We will also tackle the key issues that affect our residents such as roads, grot spots, gangs and crime and youth services.”