Wakefield Council postpones meetings following death of The Queen

The local authority has confirmed scheduled meetings of the Cabinet, Licensing Committee and the Planning and Highways Committee will not take place this week.

Scrutiny committee meetings have also been postponed.

No meetings are expected to take place until September 21 when a Full Council meeting is due to be held.

Members of the Wakefield Overview and Scrutiny Management Board had been due to the meet today(Monday) to consider a ‘financial health report’.

The report states the Council is expected to overspend its annual budget by more than £9m due to soaring energy prices.

Senior councillors were also due to consider the report at a Cabinet meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) and discuss the immediate financial challenges caused by the cost of living crisis.

Cabinet members had been expected to approve extending two hours’ free parking at council car parks across the Wakefield district.Cabinet were also due to discuss a plan to permanently lower the age for pupils at Pontefract’s High Well School to allow more youngsters to benefit from a specialist education.

Wednesday’s Licensing Committee meeting has also been postponed.

Committee members had been expect to vote on a request for a 12-week consultation to review Wakefield’s controversial taxi driver suitability policy.Wednesday’s Regeneration, Employment and Skills Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting will not be going ahead

Committee members had been due to discuss how more affordable housing can be made available across the Wakefield district.

The Planning and Highways Committee had been due to meet on Thursday to consider planning applications in Walton and Ackworth.