Everything you need to know now that Kirklees Council has elected a leader.

The new leader of the council is Reform UK group leader, Sarah Wood.

On Wednesday, (July 15), Kirklees Council made a third attempt to select a council leader.

A secret ballot declared Coun Wood the winner, taking 36 votes in favour, 30 against, and one abstention. Her opponent – Councillor Andrew Cooper – fell short at 30 votes in favour, 36 against, and also shared one abstention.

Cabinet members will be appointed

The next job on the list for Coun Wood is to select a team of councillors to form the executive cabinet. They will also officially designate one of these members as the council’s Deputy leader. In this case, Wood has confirmed that it will be an “all-Reform” cabinet, but has yet to reveal the members.

Portfolios are assigned

Coun Wood will be tasked with allocating specific areas of responsibility, known as portfolios, to each appointed cabinet member. These portfolios cover essential public sectors, including housing, finance, education, and transport.

Delegation of powers is finalised

Coun Wood will have to outline exactly what decision-making powers individual cabinet members will hold. This scheme of delegation must be submitted in writing to the council’s Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer to update the constitution.

Kirklees Council’s CEO will step down in a leadership role

Now that Kirklees has a leader, the council’s CEO – Steve Mawson – will no longer serve in a leadership role. Coun Wood will instead sit down with Mr Mawson to establish a working relationship.

Policy priorities are aligned

Coun Wood will need to coordinate with senior council officers to draft the administration’s core policy framework and corporate plan. This plan aligns the ruling party’s manifesto promises with the council’s actual budget limits.

Outside body representatives are named

Coun Wood will also nominate specific councillors to serve as official representatives on external boards and local charities.