Friday, 16 January 2026
News from Calderdale
From Cllr Jonathan Timbers
The functions of local authorities and role of councillors aren't widely understood, perhaps because most people have got better things to do with their lives than spend hours finding out. The principle responsibilities of local authorities are the provision of adult social care and children's services. Over 70 per cent of the budget goes on these two functions. Things like winter gritting aren't duties, the council does them because of its importance to local people.
These days, councillors come in two sorts: 'portfolio holders' aka 'cabinet members' and 'backbench' councillors like me. Putting the inflated terminology to one side, and the issue of executive power, backbench councillors' main lever over the council is via the scrutiny committee system. Scrutiny committees oversee the council's delivery of services and make recommendations to cabinet. They have a power to conduct reviews and call for evidence.
I often feel that Calderdale Council is like the Wizard of Oz. Once you get passed the frontage, there's not much there except a few overworked officers. Not all are brilliant, obviously, but I find most to be resourceful and incredibly hardworking. Calderdale's scrutiny team is now just one person. He can enlist the help of other officers, but resources are far from what I'd like them to be. I believe this has the potential to erode democracy in the council. But to put it crudely, what do I want, more scrutiny officers or roads being gritted?
At last night Adult Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee, I came across my first ever scrutiny review as a committee member. It was on the care home market in Calderdale. (Agenda Item 8, page 27 on the reports pack) With clarity, the review describes the issues for care homes, and their budgetary and staffing challenges. Please read it. There are plenty of 'Oh my God' moments in the review. We passed the recommendations unanimously, but some of the main problems are national and intractable, though magnified in Calderdale because of our ageing population.
I was also able to cross-examine a senior officer about Calderdale's DOLS performance. Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS) and what should be in place if care service users have to have their liberty taken away for safeguarding reasons, de facto imprisonment. Like other areas of public service, there isn't enough money, and the processes are cumbersome and time consuming, so Calderdale has had a backlog of 400 applications.
The government – after years of delay under the Conservatives – is at last bringing in a new system, which will help: Liberty Protection Safeguards. But it isn't sufficient in my view to blame the national situation entirely for our problems in Calderdale. In response to this, I was told that Calderdale has recently adopted a new system that helps cut through the red tape and speeds up DOLS applications. This is an area which will require future scrutiny.
I should also mention the first Planning Committee of 2026. This is because it was the last time I met Cllr David Kirton, who died suddenly this week. David was an effective councillor with a good mind – who could navigate the planning system – and where possible stand up for the interests of ordinary people. A former builder, with a resonant Yorkshire accent, and a persuasive fatherly manner, at planning committee he supported an application for an extension on a back to back family home in Barkisland against officer recommendation. I fell in behind him, and the family got permission for their extension. To see the delight and relief on their faces was a rare pleasure. You can see David and hear his contribution on the item's webcast.
I am still shocked by David's death and will miss him, despite our political differences. He embodied the best among local authority councillors because of his active commitment to democracy and the rule of law. My condolences to his family.
Previously, on the HebWeb
News from Calderdale: New Year report from Cllr Jonathan Timbers.
News from Calderdale: Report of the November Calderdale Council meeting from Cllr Jonathan Timbers.
News from Calderdale: Report of the September Calderdale Council meeting from Cllr Jonathan Timbers.