Calls for Change at Kirklees Council as Campaign to Abolish Cabinet System Gains Momentum

Kirklees: A new campaign is stirring things up in Kirklees. Several political groups are teaming up to ditch the current Cabinet system. They’re calling it the “Change Kirklees” campaign.

The Green Party, Liberal Democrats, and some Independents want to replace the Cabinet with a Committee System. This way, all elected members can have a say in decisions. Right now, just eight councillors from one party make most of the calls, and that doesn’t sit well with many folks.

Councillor Andrew Cooper, from the Green Group, shared his thoughts. He believes people expect their councillors to vote on local issues. But with the Labour Party holding most of the power, that’s not happening. They have less than a third of the councillors but make all the decisions. It feels unfair and undemocratic.

Councillor John Lawson from the Liberal Democrats agrees. He thinks it’s time for a change. A Committee System would let communities have a voice in decisions that affect them. He emphasizes that council decisions need to be transparent and accountable.

Councillor Jo Lawson from the Community Independents added that the Labour Cabinet could easily start the process to switch to a Committee System. But both Labour and the Conservatives seem to prefer keeping things as they are. That’s why they’re rallying local support for this campaign.

To make a real change, they need nearly 17,000 signatures for a borough-wide referendum. The campaign is reaching out to everyone, even those not tied to political parties, to push for a more representative democracy.

They’re inviting people to join the Change Kirklees campaign and help gather signatures. They believe a Committee System won’t fix all financial issues, but it will give voters a real say in council decisions.

If you want to help out, you can reach out to the Change Kirklees Steering Group members. They’re eager to get the ball rolling and make a difference in how Kirklees is run.