'We should resist central government attempts to take away our rights to determine our destiny'

COUNCILS across the country could lose their say over how they are governed - and Kirklees has no plans to oppose the measure despite efforts from opposition members.

- By ABIGAIL MARLOW

During Wednesday's full council meeting, a motion submitted by members of the Lib Dems, Greens, Community Alliance and Community Independents was heard.

This called on the local authority to oppose government plans to standardise the governance of councils to a leader and cabinet model, as is already used in Kirklees, and abolish the committee system - in which decisions are taken by cross-party groups.

The move was set out in June in a ministerial statement from former Local Government Minister Jim McMahon, who described the current system whereby councils are governed by one of three models as “complex” and “opaque” He said: “This can be confusing to the taxpayer, particularly in the case of the committee system, which can be unclear, duplicative, and wasteful, leading to slower, less efficient decision-making.

“The government plans to legislate to abolish the committee system, requiring those councils currently operating this model to transition to the leader and cabinet model (which the vast majority of councils in England already currently operate)”

But some members of Kirklees Council don’t want to see this decision handed over to the government.