Council budget approved after hours of haggling

Councillors haggled until the early hours of Thursday morning over the budget

Council tax bills will rise by 4.99% for households in Kirklees, after the local authority passed its budget for the next financial year.

The increase, which will kick in next month, was agreed by councillors in the early hours of Thursday after several hours of haggling.

The agreement struck between the parties included plans to fix Cleckheaton Town Hall, the possible introduction of bin collections on Christmas week and a "one-off" clean-up project to "tidy up" the district.

The budget also included £27m worth of savings, which include plans to continue a recruitment freeze on some vacant jobs and a reduction in administrative costs.

Attempts to pass a budget were complicated by Kirklees' current political make-up, where no party has overall control of the council.

After several different proposals were voted down, party leaders spent time away from the council chamber negotiating in private.

Eventually Labour councillors backed a Conservative amendment to their original proposals.

Although not formally included in the budget, both parties agreed to explore the prospect of building a leisure centre in Dewsbury.

Collaboration expected

Speaking after the budget was passed at around 01:30 GMT, Conservative group leader David Hall conceded it was "unusual" for his group and Labour to unite over a council budget.

"We've usually been sparring partners," he said.

"But we thought we had a responsibility to pass a budget and we were going to stay here until that happened.

"Really I think the people of Kirklees expect us to collaborate."

Council leader and Labour group leader Carole Pattison said the budget had been about "getting the basics right".

She added: "It's fair enough that it should take time. All members of the council should take their time to think through these really big issues.

"This will set the tone for what we'll be able to do over the next year, the services we can provide and the thoughts we can have for the future."

Previous proposals to reduce the size of domestic waste bins in Kirklees, which were initially due to be included in the budget, were scrapped in January following a public backlash.

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