Resolved
– That the following
notices of motion (with amendments) be approved:
12.1 – West
Yorkshire Pension Fund – Independent Divestment Review
Moved by: Councillor Angela Tait
Seconded by: Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe
Council notes:
- Calls for an
independent divestment review of West Yorkshire Pension
Fund’s investments in fossil fuel energy assets.
- Bradford Council
formally declared a ‘Climate Emergency’ in January
2019, and as a member of the Leeds City Region (LCR) Climate
Coalition, has formally committed to achieving a net zero carbon
LCR “by 2038, with significant progress by 2030”.
- The United
Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warning in
August 2021 that “Global warming of 1.5°C and 2.0°C
will be exceeded during the 21st century unless deep reductions in
carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas emissions occur in
the coming decades.”
- Achieving net
zero will require an unprecedented transformation of economy and
society, including a massive shift to renewable energy and away
from fossil fuels.
- That a transition
to low carbon and renewable energy is already underway, driven by
policy, technology and investment. Although currently the pace and
magnitude of this transition falls short of that which is necessary
to achieve the aims of the Paris Agreement.
- That Climate
Change poses wide ranging financial and investment risk across all
industry and business sectors as well as an existential risk, that
particular concerns arise in respect to fossil fuel energy and that
continued long-term investment in this area carries with it some
significant financial risks.
- Bradford Council
is the administering authority for the West Yorkshire Pension Fund
(WYPF) and WYPF has investments in the fossil fuel energy
sector.
- The concerns,
both financial and ethical, of stakeholders in WYPF over its
holdings in fossil fuel energy companies.
Council further notes:
- WYPF is a pension
provider for almost 300,000 members, and 423 employers. The value
of the Fund at March 31, 2021, was £16.3billion.
- The fund has
specifically recognised climate change as a risk to its investments
and has committed to a net-zero portfolio by 2050 or sooner and to
implementing this with the aim of achieving real economy emissions
reductions.
- Within the last
year WYPF received a report commissioned from AON specifically on
climate related investment risks and this was used in the
development of the Fund’s strategic asset allocation.
- WYPF is signed-up
to the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC) Net
Zero commitment statement. This includes setting an interim target
for 2030 or sooner for reducing Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions
associated with its portfolios and setting a target for increasing
investment in climate solutions, consistent with a fair share of
the 50% global reduction in CO2 identified as a requirement in the
IPCC special report on global warming.
- WYPF’s
investments in renewable energy assets, technology and sustainable
infrastructure has increased by 44% in the last two years.
Currently it stands at £708m, with a further £262m
committed awaiting drawdown. This is far in excess of is holdings
in non-renewable energy.
- WYPF is a
signatory to Climate Action 100+, an investor initiative to ensure
the world’s largest corporate greenhouse gas emitters take
necessary action on climate change. The fund also plans to lend its
support to the Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI).
Council recognises that:
- The primary
obligation of WYPF is to meet current and future member benefits
requirements and that it aims to do this whilst keeping employer
contributions as low and as stable as possible.
- Bradford is the
administering authority for WYPF. It has established an Investment
Advisory Panel (IAP) comprising elected members from the five
District Councils of West Yorkshire, trade union and fund member
representatives, officers and independent advisors, to set the
investment strategy and have oversight of investment
decisions.
- Pension
regulations require the Board members of any pension fund to act in
the best financial interests of the members.
- To meet its
primary obligation various categories of investment are used by
WYPF to meet the required return, spread over a large and
diversified portfolio to mitigate risks.
- WYPF is
internally managed and the annualised return of the Fund over one,
three, five and ten years is 23.2%, 6.8%, 9.2% and 7.7%
respectively. A performance above the Fund Specific Benchmark in
all four periods.
- At £41.94
per member, WYPF has the lowest total cost per member in the Local
Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). The LGPS average is £245.41
and the highest is £829.30.
- Investment policy
changes can have a material impact, positive or negative, for the
employers in the scheme, and so the manner and timing of such
changes must be judged with care, skill, prudence and
diligence.
Council resolves to recommend that the
WYPF:
a)
Acknowledge, respond and act on the concerns, both financial and
ethical, of its stakeholders over its holdings in fossil fuel
energy companies.
b)
Take positive steps to wind-down its holdings in fossil fuel energy
assets in a manner and timescale that is consistent with:
a. its primary obligation and not risking
material financial detriment to the Fund.
b. its commitment to achieving a net-zero
portfolio by 2050 or sooner.
c)
Implement its commitment to a net-zero portfolio, using its
leverage as an investor, both individually and collectively, with
the aim of achieving real economy emissions reductions.
d)
Make a further commitment to significant progress towards net-zero
by 2030, in recognition of the LCR Climate Coalition goals.
e)
Report annually on progress of b), c) and d) above
12.2 – Climate
Emergency
Moved by: Councillor Sarah Ferriby
Seconded by: Councillor Caroline Firth
Council notes:
a)
the Sixth Assessment Report published
by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in August 2021,
which states that “Global warming of 1.5°C and 2°C
will be exceeded during the 21st century unless deep reductions in
carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas emissions occur in
the coming decades”;
b)
the critical importance of the UN COP26 climate summit –
November 2021 and related national policy and spending including
the UK Net Zero Strategy;
c)
the progress made since 2010 in reducing the Council’s own
greenhouse gas emissions, down from 88,302 tonnes CO2e in 2009/10
to 47,446 tonnes CO2e in 2018/19 (the most recent municipal year
that includes data for the district’s schools);
d)
our declaration of a ‘climate emergency’ in January
2019 and October 2019 endorsement of WY Climate Pledge: to reach
net-zero carbon by 2038 and making ‘significant
progress’ by 2030;
e)
Sustainability, climate action and resilience are priorities in the
adopted Council Plan 2021-25 and District Plan, their
implementation and performance management. This takes forward the
Sustainable Development Action Plan (2020-2021; and its roll-over
into 2021-22 due to Covid-19);
f)
The adopted and shared Covid-19 Economic Recovery Plan sets out
significant measures to support sustainable development and this
will be taken forward through a Clean Growth strategy for Bradford
District;
g)
We are investing £25m this year and £1m in revenue
specifically on climate emergency and related issues but in
addition we recognise that our commitments to sustainability in
general have resulted in many policy changes and projects that are
being embedded across the whole organisation. Schemes include but
are not limited to: Fleet replacement, an alternative fuel centre
at Bowling Back Lane, active travel (including walking, cycling,
safer streets – through lockdown and as part of WY shared
plans eg City Connect), 50 grassroots
climate action projects funded across all give constituencies,
support to Bradford Community Energy to back local renewable energy
and energy efficiency, ongoing work around recycling, reducing food
waste, reducing our single-use plastics, being the planning
authority and a partner in major ‘green economy’
developments such as Esholt, the
ongoing rolling programme of retrofitting of our buildings,
development of the housing strategy partnership implementation,
replacement of our central food processing unit with a new facility
at Mitre Court, partnering with anchor institutions on the
Sustainable Development Partnership Board, flagship investments
such as Darley Street Market, Keighley and Shipley Towns Fund
capital initiatives to improve active travel and the public realm,
district heat and solar schemes, smart street lighting, blue/green
infrastructure and nature-based solutions (Harden Moor, Ilkley
Moor, Aire and Worth flood risk
management, Horton Park, etc.).
Council further notes that:
h)
In June 2019, the UK Government passed legislation committing it to
achieving ‘net zero’ greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
This is significantly more challenging than government’s
previous target to reduce net emissions by 80% compared with 1990
levels by 2050. In its December 2020
report, Achieving Net Zero, the National Audit Office NAO
highlighted that local authorities will have a critical part to
play. Bradford Council stands as the UK’s leading clean
growth city district, committed to sustainable development and
climate action.
i)
The NAO highlight that there are serious weaknesses in central
government’s approach to working with local authorities on
decarbonisation and climate action, stemming from a lack of clarity
over local authorities’ overall roles, piecemeal funding, and
diffuse accountabilities. This remains a non-statutory area of work
for local government. This hampers local authorities’ ability
to plan effectively for the long-term, build skills and capacity,
and prioritise effort. It creates significant risks to value for
money as spending is likely to increase quickly. Bradford Council
and local partners stand ready to work with Government departments
to address these challenges and bring forward commercial
investment, public-private partnerships and community action to
decarbonise, enhance resilience and support a just transition.
j)
Climate Action and resilience are regional challenges and we will
work with our partners across West Yorkshire, Yorkshire and the
Humber and the North to effectively deliver positive, lasting
change.
k)
Bradford Council supports the Race to
Zero ambition and will work with businesses and other partners to
prepare for and accelerate progress on decarbonisation and
sustainable development from COP26 through to 2030.
Council therefore resolves to:
1)
Continue working towards the outcomes and priorities in our Council
Plan, District Plan, other key strategies and critically develop a
robust, investment focussed clean growth strategy for Bradford
District.
2)
Work with the Elected Mayor for West Yorkshire, WYCA, the other
four local authorities and key partners to work at pace and scale
on eliminating fossil fuel use, decarbonisation at pace and scale
(across buildings, power, industry, land use and land use change
and transport) and environmental resilience and nature
recovery.
3)
Call on Government, private sector investors and developers to
co-invest with us as the UK’s leading clean growth city
district; extending beyond net zero target setting and towards
robust plans for investment and delivery that unlocks levelling up
and secures social, economic, environmental and health outcomes for
the whole population of Bradford District.
4)
That the Leader of Council writes to our Bradford District MPs, to
Alok Sharma MP (President of COP26) and
to the Prime Minister, calling for the Government to a) co-invest
in Bradford District as the UK’s leading clean growth city
district; b) directly support the Race to Zero.
12.3 – Local
Electricity Bill
Moved by: Councillor Alun Griffiths
Seconded by: Councillor Rachel Sunderland
That City of Bradford Metropolitan District
Council
(i)
Acknowledges the efforts that this Council has made to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and promote renewable energy;
(ii)
Further recognises:
- that very large
financial setup and running costs involved in selling locally
generated renewable electricity to local customers result in it being impossible for local
renewable electricity generators to do so,
- that making these
financial costs proportionate to the scale of a renewable
electricity supplier’s operation would create significant
opportunities for local companies, community groups and councils to
be providers of locally generated renewable electricity directly to
local people, businesses and organisations, if they wished,
and
- that revenues
received by such local companies, community groups or councils that
chose to become local renewable electricity providers could be used
to help improve the local economy, local services and facilities
and to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions;
(iii)
Notes that the Parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee, as a
result of its 2021 Technological Innovations and Climate Change
inquiry, recommended that a Right to Local Supply for local energy
suppliers be established to address this;
(iv)
Accordingly resolves to support the Local Electricity Bill,
currently supported by a cross-party group of 264 MPs and which, if
made law, would establish a Right to Local Supply which would
promote local renewable electricity supply by making the setup and
running costs of selling renewable electricity to local customers
proportionate to the size of the supply company; and
(v)
Further resolves to:
·
inform the local media of this
decision,
·
write to local MPs, asking them to support the Bill, and
- write to the
organisers of the campaign for the Bill, Power for People, (at
Camden Collective, 5-7 Buck Street, London NW1 8NJ or
info@powerforpeople.org.uk) expressing its support.
12.4 – Fossil
Fuels
Moved by: Councillor Angela Tait
Seconded by: Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe
Council notes:
- Calls for an
independent divestment review of West Yorkshire Pension
Fund’s investments in fossil fuel energy assets.
- Bradford Council
formally declared a ‘Climate Emergency’ in January
2019, and as a member of the Leeds City Region (LCR) Climate
Coalition, has formally committed to achieving a net zero carbon
LCR “by 2038, with significant progress by 2030”.
- The United
Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warning in
August 2021 that “Global warming of 1.5°C and 2.0°C
will be exceeded during the 21st century unless deep reductions in
carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas emissions occur in
the coming decades.”
- Achieving net
zero will require an unprecedented transformation of economy and
society, including a massive shift to renewable energy and away
from fossil fuels.
- That a transition
to low carbon and renewable energy is already underway, driven by
policy, technology and investment. Although currently the pace and
magnitude of this transition falls short of that which is necessary
to achieve the aims of the Paris Agreement.
- That Climate
Change poses wide ranging financial and investment risk across all
industry and business sectors as well as an existential risk, that
particular concerns arise in respect to fossil fuel energy and that
continued long-term investment in this area carries with it some
significant financial risks.
- Bradford Council
is the administering authority for the West Yorkshire Pension Fund
(WYPF) and WYPF has investments in the fossil fuel energy
sector.
- The concerns,
both financial and ethical, of stakeholders in WYPF over its
holdings in fossil fuel energy companies.
Council further notes:
- WYPF is a pension
provider for almost 300,000 members, and 423 employers. The value
of the Fund at March 31, 2021, was £16.3billion.
- The fund has
specifically recognised climate change as a risk to its investments
and has committed to a net-zero portfolio by 2050 or sooner and to
implementing this with the aim of achieving real economy emissions
reductions.
- Within the last
year WYPF received a report commissioned from AON specifically on
climate related investment risks and this was used in the
development of the Fund’s strategic asset allocation.
- WYPF is signed-up
to the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC) Net
Zero commitment statement. This includes setting an interim target
for 2030 or sooner for reducing Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions
associated with its portfolios and setting a target for increasing
investment in climate solutions, consistent with a fair share of
the 50% global reduction in CO2 identified as a requirement in the
IPCC special report on global warming.
- WYPF’s
investments in renewable energy assets, technology and sustainable
infrastructure has increased by 44% in the last two years.
Currently it stands at £708m, with a further £262m
committed awaiting drawdown. This is far in excess of is holdings
in non-renewable energy.
- WYPF is a
signatory to Climate Action 100+, an investor initiative to ensure
the world’s largest corporate greenhouse gas emitters take
necessary action on climate change. The fund also plans to lend its
support to the Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI).
Council recognises that:
- The primary
obligation of WYPF is to meet current and future member benefits
requirements and that it aims to do this whilst keeping employer
contributions as low and as stable as possible.
- Bradford is the
administering authority for WYPF. It has established an Investment
Advisory Panel (IAP) comprising elected members from the five
District Councils of West Yorkshire, trade union and fund member
representatives, officers and independent advisors, to set the
investment strategy and have oversight of investment
decisions.
- Pension
regulations require the Board members of any pension fund to act in
the best financial interests of the members.
- To meet its
primary obligation various categories of investment are used by
WYPF to meet the required return, spread over a large and
diversified portfolio to mitigate risks.
- WYPF is
internally managed and the annualised return of the Fund over one,
three, five and ten years is 23.2%, 6.8%, 9.2% and 7.7%
respectively. A performance above the Fund Specific Benchmark in
all four periods.
- At £41.94
per member, WYPF has the lowest total cost per member in the Local
Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). The LGPS average is £245.41
and the highest is £829.30.
- Investment policy
changes can have a material impact, positive or negative, for the
employers in the scheme, and so the manner and timing of such
changes must be judged with care, skill, prudence and
diligence.
Council resolves to recommend that the
WYPF:
f)
Acknowledge, respond and act on the concerns, both financial and
ethical, of its stakeholders over its holdings in fossil fuel
energy companies.
g)
Take positive steps to wind-down its holdings in fossil fuel energy
assets in a manner and timescale that is consistent with:
a. its primary obligation and not risking
material financial detriment to the Fund.
b. its commitment to achieving a net-zero
portfolio by 2050 or sooner.
h)
Implement its commitment to a net-zero portfolio, using its
leverage as an investor, both individually and collectively, with
the aim of achieving real economy emissions reductions.
i)
Make a further commitment to significant progress towards net-zero
by 2030, in recognition of the LCR Climate Coalition goals.
j)
Report annually on progress of b), c) and d) above
12.5 –
Protecting Women and Girls from Sexual Assault
Moved by: Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe
Seconded by: Councillor Abdul Jabar
Council notes:
- That in
2019/2020, 4.9 million women were victims of sexual assault in
England and Wales, according to the Office for National Statistics,
a third of 16–18-year-old girls reported experiencing
unwanted sexual touching at school, according to End Violence
Against Women.
- The pandemic has
made the situation worse with an increased demand for victim's
services, ONS indicators showing that the severity of abuse has
increased, 1 in 5 girls aged between 14-21 have experienced public
sexual harassment and many more girls are at risk of Female genital
mutilation.
- The justice system is failing many victims of crime
with only 2.4% of rape cases ending in conviction, three out of
four cases of domestic violence ending without charge.
- Those from
minority backgrounds experience domestic violence
disproportionately.
- Despite the scale of the problem, the Prime
Minister has so far rejected calls for misogyny to be
re-categorised as a hate crime. Council
believes that everyone, regardless of identity has the right to
live a life free from fear and violence.
Council welcomes the Mayor of West
Yorkshire’s statement that "more needs to be done to improve
the safety of women and girls" and that this work is one of her key
pledges.
Council notes that in August this year Tracy
Brabin, West Yorkshire’s Mayor
launched a call for evidence on the safety of women and girls. The
findings of this review will feed into her forthcoming Police and
Crime Plan.
Council notes that the Leader instructed
Council officers, as a result of the Mayor’s call for
evidence, to produce a report to submit to this review
Council notes that a number of sessions were
held to garner views on the safety of women and girls and these
views will be fed through to the West Yorkshire Mayor and the
Community Safety Partnership here in Bradford.
Council therefore resolves to:
- Write to the
Mayor thanking her for the increased focus she is giving this
important subject and backing the call for misogyny to be a hate
crime.
- Ask the Portfolio
Holder in his role as Chair of the Community Safety Partnership to
consider the findings produced from Bradford District sessions and
work with the partnership to advise what more might be done
locally.
- Send the Bradford
findings to the West Yorkshire Mayor so that it might influence the
drafting of the Police and Crime Plan which will be presented to
the Police and Crime Panel by the Mayor early in the New Year.
- This work to be
submitted to Corporate Scrutiny Review when the Community Safety
Partnership goes for their annual review in December.
12.6 –
Implementing the CSE Safeguarding Review
Moved by: Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe
Seconded by: Councillor Sue Duffy
Council notes the publication
of the Thematic Child Sexual Exploitation Child Practice
Safeguarding Review commissioned by the Chair of the former
Bradford Safeguarding Children Board prior to the establishment of
the current Bradford Partnership and carried out by Clare Hyde of
the Foundation for Families.
Council thanks everyone who
participated in the review.
Council thanks the survivors of
child sexual exploitation who contributed to the review often
reliving difficult and traumatic experiences.
Council welcomes and notes the
actions being taken to embed the learning from the review into
practice.
Council recognises the
important task before it to ensure that all are children are safe.
That there has been considerable work in the district in relation
to CSE there are "still lessons that need to be learned and the
responses to victims of this complex crime is not yet good enough
in all cases".
Council accepts the
recommendations of the review and is committed to carrying them out
in full. Council welcomes the creation of an All-Party Council
Group within the Children’s Services Overview & Scrutiny
Committee where individual Councillors and organisations can come
together to ensure that the recommendations of the review are
implemented.
12.7 –
Children’s Services
Moved by: Councillor Kyle Green
Seconded by: Councillor Russell Brown
Council notes that:
There have been negative
findings via a number of external inspections of various parts of
Children’s Services, spanning over many years’
now.
The Council and partner
agencies in our District have made mistakes in
the past.
It is regrettably the case that
a number of key recommendations made
by inspectors have been
accepted, but not routinely implemented,
leaving potential for further
mistakes.
It is also regrettable that the
pace of implementing improvements
relating to recruitment and
retention etc. are less than ideal, again
undermining the performance of
Children’s Services
Council resolves:
To welcome the appointment of a
Commissioner to examine how best
to the provide the wide range
of services that Bradford Council
provides to local
children.
To ensure that the Council
promptly implements any recommendations
brought forward by the
Commissioner and provides all support required.
12.8 – COP26:
A moment for action
Moved by: Councillor Sarah Ferriby
Seconded by: Councillor Caroline Firth
Council notes that:
- COP26 comes at a
vital moment in the battle to address the climate emergency. This
is a watershed moment that scientists claim is our last-gasp hope
of keeping global warming under 1.5C.
- Bradford Council
as well as many other local councils and the UK Government have
declared a climate emergency.
- Addressing the
climate emergency will require action to be taken by every nation
on Earth, although we recognise the most affluent countries should
bear the burden of the cost to support the poorest countries, which
are suffering the most. The impact of the climate emergency, if
left unchecked, will be devastating for every single country around
the world.
- COP26 presents an
opportunity for the UK to commit to policies, legislation,
partnership working and funding (including devolved funding) in the
battle to address the climate emergency.
- The Government
has been working tirelessly to ensure that COP26 can go ahead
despite the challenges of the pandemic.
- That the time for
action was yesterday.
Council resolves:
- To continue to
work with the Government to promote active travel schemes across
the district.
- To continue to
encourage businesses, entrepreneurs, researchers and others in the
District to continue to help deliver innovative technological
progress that will help reduce carbon emissions such as electric or
hydrogen vehicles.
- To support the UK
Government's ambition to drive global action on climate change at
COP26.
- To continue to
work to address the climate emergency by continuing to direct our
policies towards sustainability and continuing to invest in a range
of infrastructure and community initiatives that will help Bradford
Council and West Yorkshire to meet its climate action targets.
- To set out
detailed carbon emission reduction targets as soon as the
Government provides clarity on policies, legislation and associated
funding to tackle the climate emergency. In the meantime, we will
continue to reduce our carbon emissions and remain focused on
becoming a sustainable district.
12.9 –
Fireworks
Moved by: Councillor Abdul Jabar
Seconded by: Councillor Nazam Azam
Council notes that:
- All Councillors
are frustrated by the indiscriminate use of fireworks at all hours.
This disrupts people’s sleep, makes people anxious and
frightens pets.
- The
Council’s Corporate Scrutiny committee has conducted a review
of fireworks and what can be done nationally and locally to better
regulate their use and this has been published.
- It is only legal
to sell Category 2 & 3 Fireworks, designed for domestic use
(available only to adults over 18) for less than 40 specific days
per year, other than via specifically regulated outlets.
- Category 4
fireworks can legally only be purchased and used by
professionals.
- You can be fined
up to £5,000 and imprisoned for up to 6 months for selling or
using fireworks illegally.
Council resolves:
- To thank the
Chair of Corporate Scrutiny and the cross party committee for all
their work on putting the review together.
- To adopt in full
all the recommendations from the review including:
Ask National Government to change the law
and:
- Reduce the noise
levels of all categories of fireworks;
- Stop the sale of
the more powerful fireworks, such as category 3 and 4;
- To compel
individuals who sell fireworks to have a licence, which
demonstrates that they are a fit and proper person to be able to
sell fireworks;
- Instigate a
Private Members Bill to discuss the licensing, planning and
legislation arrangements in place, relating to fireworks.
Local Government to:
- Better
communicate with residents so they clearly know what the law is
regarding fireworks;
- Promote the use
of noiseless or low noise fireworks;
- Be clear about
how people can complain about the inappropriate use of fireworks
and under age selling of fireworks;
- Education and
prevention work with communities across the District, in relation
to the inappropriate and dangerous use of fireworks;
- Exploring
arranging organised firework events across the District;
- Examining
planning and licensing rules for events venues using
fireworks.
12.10 – Councillors putting Children and Young People at the heart
of
everything we do
Moved by: Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe
Seconded by: Councillor Sue Duffy
Bradford Council is committed to ensuring that
all the District’s children
have the best possible start in life.
Caring for and safeguarding the
District’s vulnerable children is a critically important part
of the Council’s work and one of its greatest
responsibilities. We share Ofsted’s and the DfE’s concern that the Council’s
Children’s services need to improve faster and that the
Council needs to do better for our Looked After Children in
particular.
We welcome the Government Commissioner and the
expertise he brings from Leeds Children’s
Services. He will be here for three
months and write a report with recommendations to Government on our
progress. We will use the opportunity to learn from his experience
and implement any improvements he identifies.
As Bradford Councillors and good parents we
need to have high aspirations for all of our children. We have a
duty to work proactively with our statutory partners in Health and
Police as well as other agencies to ensure children and young
people in our care have opportunities to flourish and thrive in all
aspects of their lives.
As Councillors we have a legislative
responsibility under:
- The
Children’s Act 1989
- The Care
Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations (2010)
- The Care Leavers
Regulations (2010)
- The Children and
Social Work Act (2017)
Putting children at the heart of all we do
means that their voice will shape the mindset and culture of every part of our Council
and how we carry out all of our services and functions. To achieve
this as Councillors we all must:
- act in the best
interests, and promote the physical and mental health and
well-being, of those children and young people encourage those
children and young people to express their views, wishes and
feelings
- take into account
the views, wishes and feelings of those children and young
people
- help those
children and young people gain access to, and make the best use of,
services provided by the local authority and its relevant
partners
- promote high
aspirations, and seek to secure the best outcomes, for those
children and young people
- ensure their
safety, enable stability in their home lives, relationships and
education or work; and
- prepare those
children and young people for adulthood and independent
living.
As an organisation these principles apply to
all aspects of the Council’s work including education, social
care, transport, housing, libraries, leisure and recreation and
council tax.
This Council therefore resolves to:
- Work with the
Commissioner, Ofsted and the DFE to accelerate improvement for all
children supported by Children’s Services.
- Champion and
advocate the voice of children and young people in our care.
- Encourage
councillors to provide jobs and work experience opportunities in
our businesses and workplaces alongside provision from the
Council.
- Ensure young
people leaving care have safe and quality accommodation.
- Provide
opportunities to engage in sports and cultural activities.
- Ensure excellent
access to health services for our children.
- Secure high
quality educational provision for our children.
- Build positive
relationships between local Councillors and children’s homes
in their ward.
- Enable
councillors to engage in ongoing member training to be able to
carry out their work effectively.
- Communicate with
and support care leavers, foster carers and adoptive parents across
the District.
12.11 –
Bradford district calls on the Government to properly fund adult
social care
Moved by: Councillor Sarah Ferriby
Seconded by: Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe
This Council thanks and recognises the
professionalism and dedication of the District’s social care
workforce and their invaluable work in supporting and caring for
some of our most vulnerable residents, particularly during the
pandemic. We also recognise and thank those unpaid carers, family
members and friends of vulnerable people, who work tirelessly to
care for those they love without financial reward.
The Council notes the Government’s
announcement on Adult Social Care last month and having looked at
that announcement now in detail can only conclude that after 6
years of waiting, the Government has no plan for how to fund Adult
Social Care in this country. There is no plan.
The Council notes that:
- The demand for
and costs of social care continue to rise.
- Care homes and
home care providers face a recruitment and retention challenge
because wages are not competitive enough.
- Good care
requires a workforce to match yet nationally up to 10% of all roles
could be vacant by the end of this year.
- The very care
workers we value and rely on so much could actually be worse off
because of the Government’s plans to increase National
Insurance.
- The Government
has announced no additional funding for social care delivery for
councils next year at all.
- The Government
are taking unpaid carers for granted with no increase in the
carers’ allowance, yet they save the Government more than the
annual budget for the NHS every year.
- The
Government’s proposals are completely silent on support for
working age adults – those citizens with learning
disabilities and physical disabilities who will need support
throughout their whole life. The budget for working age adults is
approximately 50% of the entire adult social care budget.
Council resolves to:
- Put on record our
thanks to all those people working hard as part of the
District’s social care work force or as unpaid carers who
serve vulnerable residents.
- Work with other
Councils to speak out about the fact that there is no plan for
Adult Social Care funding in this country.
- Within the
constraints of financial hardship on councils provide the best
possible care to our vulnerable adult residents enabling them to
stay healthy and at home for as long as possible. Bradford District
residents deserve the best.
The Council calls on Government to:
- Deliver the
investment needed to meet urgent short-term priorities without the
need to increase the burden on hard pressed Council tax
payers.
- Provide clarity
on how they suggest Adult Social Care is going to be funded in the
short to medium term.
- Ensure additional
funding is distributed to local authorities according to need and
that the distribution between the NHS and social care is such that
it ensures fair funding for care enabling it to achieve parity with
other health services.
- Fund a new deal
for the social care workforce.
12.12 – Armed
Forces Covenant – Employer Recognition Scheme
Moved by: Councillor Joanne Dodds
Seconded by: Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe
We deeply value the work of our Armed Forces
and, following the easing of restrictions, we are pleased that
Bradford Council is preparing for a return to the usual, more
significant public display of our gratitude and respect (Covid-19
restrictions permitting). Our Lord Mayor will lead in-person
remembrance events for people who have contributed from all over
the Commonwealth, of all faiths and none. This will include the
Bradford Remembrance Sunday Civic service and parade, as well as
supporting inclusive acts of remembrance in towns and villages
throughout our district, as has always been our practice in the
past.
The 30th of January 2022 marks 10 years since
the Council and partners made their formal commitment and pledges
of support to the local Armed Forces Community by signing the
Community Covenant (now known as the Armed Forces Covenant).
The Council believes that in order to mark
this anniversary it should re-state its commitment to the Covenant
and the celebration of the work of our Armed Forces.
Since 2012 the Council has offered support
over and above that required by the Covenant. We note that the
Government’s Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS)
acknowledges employers who have provided exceptional support to the
Armed Forces Community both within their organisation and within
their local community. The Scheme encompasses Bronze, Silver and
Gold Awards. Bradford Council was awarded the Silver Defence
Employer Scheme in November 2018.
Gold Award-level employers proactively
advocate and support Defence, communicating their commitment both
internally to employees and externally to the wider community,
through established policies and examples of support. There are
only 493 organisations and public bodies who have achieved their
Gold Award since the ERS awards were introduced in 2015. Of these
20 are from the Yorkshire and Humber area.
In order to demonstrate our on-going
commitment to supporting our local Armed Forces Community the
Council agrees that it should pursue ERS Gold Award status.
Council resolves to:
- Support our Lord Mayor in leading the District in
remembering our Armed Forces in November in person once again.
- Hold a re-signing
ceremony to re-commit to the pledges in the Armed Forces Covenant
and celebrate its successful implementation over the last
decade.
- Support an
application to the Gold Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.