[6] Policing, fire services and public transport continued to be run on a county-wide basis by councillors from all five West Yorkshire boroughs.

The stated aim was to focus the reduced resources on services that only the council can provide, particularly those supporting vulnerable people, while encouraging communities to do more for themselves.

[14] In June 2016 the Huddersfield Daily Examiner exposed several councillors who had failed to pay their Council Tax in what it called the 'Ratesgate scandal'.

[15] Two councillors who had denied the allegations, Deputy Leader Jean Calvert and Amanda Pinnock, were suspended by the Labour Party.

[17] In July 2023 Shabir Pandor resigned as council leader, reportedly before facing a vote of no confidence from Labour councillors.

[20] However, on 18 July 2024 Scott was forced out of office by another vote of no-confidence, with Cllr Carole Pattison being named as the new Leader[27] and leaving no party with a majority on the council.

[28] In response, Education Secretary Justine Greening appointed Eleanor Brazil as Children's Services Commissioner to make recommendations for improvement.

[29] In her report published following the 2017 general election, Ms Brazil found that Kirklees did not have the leadership or management capacity to achieve the required standard.

She recommended that Kirklees enter a formal partnership with Leeds City Council, a good neighbouring local authority.

They chair council meetings and are expected to be politically impartial whilst they hold the post, although they do get a casting vote in the event of a tie.