Kirklees Council is still without a leader two weeks after the local elections with newly-elected Reform UK councillors forced to admit they didn’t understand council rules and procedures.
There was chaos and confusion in the council chamber at Huddersfield Town Hall on Wednesday as the annual meeting broke up with no new leader in place.
Political opponents used council procedures and jargon to confuse the new Reform councillors who had hoped to take control after becoming the largest party at the all-out elections.
Reform UK put forward Clr Sarah Wood (Liversedge & Gomersal) for leader and Green group leader Andrew Cooper (Netherton and Newsome) also sought the top job.
Reform UK, which won 29 seats, hoped to take control but the opposition – the Greens, Kirklees Independents, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, Holme Valley Independents and two other Independents had the numbers to elect a coalition led by Clr Cooper, IF they all voted together.
The Conservatives voted against Clr Cooper and also refused to support Reform, ensuring both Clr Cooper and Clr Wood’s nominations were voted down.
That left a stalemate and the council was set to adjourn the annual meeting until next Wednesday – until Mirfield Tory councillor Martyn Bolt pointed out that Wednesday was Eid and said if it was Easter or a similar religious festival then a meeting wouldn’t happen on that day.
As councillors thought about Thursday or Friday instead, veteran Lib Dem councillor David Ridgway (Lindley) suggested a move to break the deadlock, which he admitted might be “unconstitutional.”
He called for a ‘head-to-head’ vote between councillors Cooper and Wood which would “have it resolved today.”
That led to confusion in the council chamber as Kirklees Independents leader Clr Habiban Zaman (Batley East) proposed a motion to go for the ‘head-to-head’ vote, while Clr Bolt came up with an amendment to “suspend standing orders” so that councillors could debate and ask questions of the two leadership candidates.
This caused confusion and anger on the Reform benches with Clr Rob Butler (Holme Valley South) accusing opponents of playing on the “ignorance” of the new Reform councillors.
He said: “I do not believe this is in any way democratic because we are being manoeuvred with a gameplay and we don’t know the rules.”
Clr Wood agreed and said she didn’t understand what ‘standing orders’ were.
“We are at a disadvantage and we do not necessarily know what we are voting for, and therefore, we consider this not to be a democratic process,” she said.
“We are willing, and able, to take the time to understand those things, but it is unreasonable for a chamber not to allow 43 new councillors to understand the rules of the game.
“If you wish to proceed, then we can’t stop you, but do know that this will be seen by the Kirklees constituents, and we will make sure that it is understood by the Kirklees constituents, that we were not able to engage democratically.”
There was another break in the meeting before Clr Bolt again asked for the suspension of standing orders for his amendment which he said, under the council’s constitution, should be voted on before Clr Zaman’s motion on the ‘head-to-head.’
Reform’s councillors were becoming exasperated at the confusing ‘council speak’ and Clr Wood said: “We have 27 newly-elected councillors here with one out of the 27 who has council experience, but from 15 years ago.
“I don’t understand the constitution. I have not had sufficient time to read that as yet. I don’t understand what standing orders are, what they’re made up of, nor do I understand what an amendment is.
“I understand that Clr Bolt does, and is a well-respected councillor, because he actually knows all of those rules.
“But I suggest there is a possibility that we might vote for something that we don’t understand at the moment. And whereas ignorance is not a defence, risks should be mitigated.”
Clr Bolt came back and said: “I understand the procedure has caused some confusion in the chamber. It’s understandable. First day at school is always difficult for people!”
He continued: “So, therefore, in order to assist – with the approval of the seconder of my amendment – I will withdraw the amendment and submit it as a suspension of standing orders in its own right, that again, to clarify, suspension of standing orders to allow hustings to allow us to, like a parliamentary election, to speak to the candidates, and then choose which one you want.
“So I will withdraw the amendment, and I will re-submit that as a stand alone suspension of standing orders, if that’s seconded.”
The council’s chief executive Steve Mawson tried to “clarify” the situation but Clr Bolt disagreed with his assessment.
Eventually a vote was taken on whether there should be a ‘head-to-head’ vote and it was narrowly defeated with Reform and the Conservatives voting against.
That ended any chance of voting in a leader and the meeting continued to decide other matters such as the formation of committees so that the council could continue to function, making day-to-day decisions on such as planning.
There was more confusion among Reform councillors over what they were voting for.
Eventually the meeting was adjourned until Thursday May 28 for the council to try again to elect a leader.
Legally, the council must elect a leader and conclude its annual meeting within three weeks of the election. The deadline is Friday May 29.
As has been the case since the election on May 7, council chief executive Mr Mawson will be acting leader to ensure the council continues to function.
After the meeting Clr Wood declined to comment and said all the Reform councillors were heading to a group meeting to unpick what had happened.
Clr Cooper said Reform UK didn’t have a mandate to run the council – they have 29 councillors, just six short of an overall majority – and had it not been for the Conservatives, he would have been council leader.
“What we wanted was to have a head-to-head to see which one of us got the most votes,” said Clr Cooper.
“The Conservatives did not want that to happen and so we were in an impasse.
“If it was simply a matter of which, either myself or Sarah Wood, had the most votes, I would be leader of the council now. And that’s democracy.”
Clr Cooper said Reform had failed to grasp an understanding of how the council works and added: “They’ve admitted as much.
“And, really, if you want to do the job, you’ve got to know the rules, and you’ve got to know how it works.”
Clr Cooper said Reform was “ill-equipped” to run the council and had demonstrated that at the meeting.
Over the next week he said Reform needed to “reflect as to whether they’re really up to the job.
“They basically said they don’t understand things. I think they’ve got to sit back and say: ‘Are we ready for this?’ I don’t think they are.
“And I think anybody objectively looking in from the outside would agree with that.”
