(1)       Councillor Riaz Ahmed disclosed an interest in Minutes 22 and 25  as he lived on Thornbury Avenue, Bradford and Thornbury Centre was in his Ward.

(2)       Councillor Janette Sunderland disclosed an interest in Minute 25 as she was a Trustee of Springfield Centre.

Action:           City Solicitor

(Access to Information Procedure Rules – Part 3B of the Constitution)

Reports and background papers for agenda items may be inspected by contacting the person shown after each agenda item.  Certain reports and background papers may be restricted. 

Any request to remove the restriction on a report or background paper should be made to the relevant Strategic Director or Assistant Director whose name is shown on the front page of the report. 

If that request is refused, there is a right of appeal to this meeting. 

Please contact the officer shown below in advance of the meeting if you wish to appeal. 

(Fatima Butt- 01274 432227)

There were no appeals submitted by the public to review decisions to restrict documents.

(Access to Information Procedure Rules – Part 3B of the Constitution)

To hear questions from electors within the District on any matter this is the responsibility of the Committee. 

Questions must be received in writing by the City Solicitor in Room 112, City Hall, Bradford, BD1 1HY, by mid-day on Tuesday 15 October 2019.

(Fatima Butt – 01274 432227)

There were no questions submitted by the public.

The Strategic Director, Place will submit Document “H” which considers an application for a Disabled Persons Parking Place at Heath Road, Bradford where the application has received an objection.

Recommended-

(1)       That the Committee determines whether or not to allow the installation of a Disabled Persons Parking Place at 23 Heath Road.

(2)       That the applicant and objector be informed accordingly.

(Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

                                                            (Andrew Smith – 01274 434674)

The Strategic Director, Place submitted Document “H” which considered an application for a Disabled Persons Parking Place at Heath Road, Bradford where the application had received an objection.

In response to a Members question it was reported that there was no space for parking at the rear of the property.

An objector attended the meeting and spoke of his concerns if the Disabled Persons Parking Place was granted and emphasised that there were already several Disabled Persons Parking Places that had been granted on the street.

In response to a Members question it was reported that the Council did have a policy to refuse if there were a large number of disabled persons parking places granted in one street but this address did not meet the criteria for refusing; this particular bay would be 5 metres; there were 5 metres remaining between the applicants address and number 19.

The applicant attended the meeting and spoke in support of his application and the reasons why a disabled persons parking place was required.

Members acknowledged the objectors concerns but emphasised that the applicant had met the criteria and that disabled persons parking places needed to be available for people who required it.

It was emphasised by Members that the importance of a clear policy on considering applications where a number of disabled persons parking places had been granted needed to be looked at.

Resolved-

(1)       That the application for the installation of a Disabled Persons Parking Place at 23 Heath Road, Bradford be approved.

(2)       That the applicant and objector be informed accordingly.

Action:           Strategic Director, Place

Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny

The Strategic Director, Place will submit Document “I” which considers an application for a Disabled Persons Parking Place at Thornbury Avenue, Bradford where the application has received an objection.

Recommended-

(1)       That the Committee determines whether or not to allow the installation of a Disabled Persons Parking Place at 133 Thornbury Avenue, Bradford.

(2)       That the applicant and the objector be informed accordingly.

(Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

                                                                        (Andrew Smith – 01274 434674)

The Strategic Director, Place submitted Document “I” which considered an application for a Disabled Persons Parking Place at Thornbury Avenue, Bradford where the application had received an objection.

Resolved-

(1)       That the application for the installation of a Disabled Persons Parking Place at 133 Thornbury Avenue, Bradford be approved.

(2)       That the applicant and objector be informed accordingly.

Action:           Strategic Director, Place

Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny

The Strategic Director, Place will submit Document “J” which considers an objection received to the recently advertised Traffic Regulation Order for the former Fire Station site on Highfiled Road, Idle, Bradford.

Recommended-

(1)       That the objection be overruled and the Traffic Regulation Order be sealed and implemented as advertised.

(2)       That the objector be informed accordingly.

(Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

                                                                        (Andrew Smith – 01274 434674)

The Strategic Director, Place submitted Document “J” which considered an objection received to the recently advertised Traffic Regulation Order for the former Fire Station site on Highfiled Road, Idle, Bradford.

It was reported that Highfield Road was approximately 12 metres wide at the location concerned which could accommodate parking on one side of the road without causing congestion; school Keep Clear markings protected visibility for pedestrians and drivers leaving Doctor Hill; a school crossing patrol was in operation for the safety of pedestrians crossing Highfield Road; an advisory 20mph speed limit was in operation outside Blakehill Primary at school times which should reduce vehicle speeds at congested times; the proposed restrictions should be sufficient to protect access and sight lines at the new development access.

Resolved-

(1)       That the objection be overruled and the Traffic Regulation Order be sealed and implemented as advertised.

(2)       That the objector be informed accordingly.

Action:           Strategic Director, Place

Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny

The Area Co-ordinator will submit Document “K” which reports that in December 2017 Bradford was selected to become a local delivery pilot for Sport England; one of the 12 places nationally tasked to try and better understand what helps people to be active in communities across the country.

It reports that the Bradford Pilot is funded by Sport England and aims to make a step change in children’s physical activity levels to improve their health and social outcomes.  The programme will focus on children aged 5-14 and their families and will work with local communities and organisations to increase opportunities for children to be active and support families to enjoy being active for life.

Recommended-

(1)       That the Committee notes and welcomes the information in the report.

(2)       That where appropriate the Ward Plans and the Local Delivery Pilot Delivery Plan reflect joint priorities.

(Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

                                                                        (Ishaq Shafiq – 01274 431066)

The Area Co-ordinator submitted Document “K” which reported that in December 2017 Bradford was selected to become a local delivery pilot for Sport England; one of the 12 places nationally tasked to try and better understand what helped people to be active in communities across the country.

It reported that the Bradford Pilot was funded by Sport England and aimed to make a step change in children’s physical activity levels to improve their health and social outcomes.  The programme would focus on children aged 5-14 and their families and would work with local communities and organisations to increase opportunities for children to be active and support families to enjoy being active for life.

Members were informed that the Bradford Local Delivery Pilot had been extended to run until March 2024; the programme was working closely with the community, an implementation plan was currently being worked on and was starting to be put into action.

A Member asked whether Sports England had communicated with primary schools as most parents were driving their children to school. In response it was reported that educating parents on the benefits of walking to school was a key issue that the programme wished to address; work was being undertaken with 13 schools at the moment; there was a need to motivate people into walking and its benefits rather than driving; some schools were offering incentives for children walking to school; other initiatives included providing pedometers for every child to count their steps.

A Member emphasised the importance of walking and the perception that people had about catching a cold in cold weather but at the same time it was important that public transport was reliable and affordable.

Members asked officers to explore other initiatives taking place elsewhere on how residents used their streets for physical activity. 

A Member stressed that the focus needed to be on encouraging participation of girls from less affluent backgrounds.

Resolved-

(1)       That the information in the report be noted and welcomed.

(2)       That in consultation with Ward Councillors and where appropriate the Ward Plans and the Local Delivery Pilot Delivery Plan reflect joint priorities.

(3)       That a further report be submitted to the Committee within 12 months which includes specific reference to how the programme was encouraging the participation of girls from less affluent backgrounds.

Action:           Strategic Director, Place

Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny

Community Action Bradford and District was formed in 2017 to support and develop the voluntary and community sector.

The Strategic Director, Place will submit Document “L” which provides the Committee with an overview of the work undertaken by Community Action across the area.

Recommended-

That the information in the report be noted and welcomed.

(Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee) 

                                                                        (Ishaq Shafiq – 01274 431066)

As the officer was not in attendance to present the report (Document “L”), Members agreed to defer consideration of this item to a future meeting.

Resolved-

That the report be deferred to a future meeting.

Action:           Strategic Director, Place

On the 3 April 2018, the Council’s Executive agreed to implement the Family Hubs model for delivering prevention and early help to babies, children and young people from October 2018.

On the 9 June and 9 July 2019, the Council’s Executive also agreed a number of recommendations to implement changes across the 41 children centre sites.

The Strategic Director, Children’s Services will submit Document “M” which provides an update on the implementation and Children’s Centre estates changes.

Recommended-

That the Committee note the report, progress to date and provide

support and guidance on the on-going co-production of the

Family Hubs offer.

(Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny)

                                                            (Anne Chester-Walsh – 01274 432904)

On the 3 April 2018, the Executive agreed to implement the Family Hubs model for delivering prevention and early help to babies, children and young people from October 2018.

On the 9 June and 9 July 2019, the Executive also agreed a number of recommendations to implement changes across the 41 children centre sites.

The Strategic Director, Children’s Services submitted Document “M” which provided an update on the implementation and Children’s Centre estates changes.

Members commented on the following:

·         Now that the Early Help Gateway provided a first point of contact for requests for Family Key Work and this team was now integrated with the Front Door line management how was it working?

·         Could parents refer themselves to the Early Help Gateway Service?

·         How do people know about the Early Help Gateway?

·         Where was the service in terms of recruiting additional staff?

·         How were family hubs and public health joined up with Primary Care? where was the link between various partnerships? It seemed as if Primary Care partnerships and other partnerships were duplicating work but not working together.

·         There was concern that there was an absence of the Talking Together programme in Eccleshill, Fagley, Bolton and Undercliffe.

·         How was the Service tracking children who had a funded early education place who were using it infrequently or refused to attend?

·         Where people being educated on not using A & E frequently and using other services such as their local pharmacy, NHS Direct etc?

·         What was being undertaken in Wards where there was a high number of Young People not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)?

·         There was concern that advice services were not available to families in their area and people were having to travel a distance away which meant they could not afford the travel costs and were unable to get to the advice centre; there was a need for community based advice services.

·         How much was received through payment by result and what was the maximum that could have been achieved? Was Bradford the lowest achiever of payment by results? Were all the systems in place to collect the money that could be achieved?

In response to Members comments it was reported that:

·         In relation to the Early Help Gateway all appropriate key workers (Social Workers, Police, Health) were now located in one place in Sir Henry Mitchel House which would speed the process for referrals.

·         Parents could refer themselves to the Early Help Gateway.

·         Information about the Early Help Gateway was available in a number of places such as on the Councils website, Bradford Information online, face book, family hubs etc.

·         12 additional staff would be recruited as new Early Help Co-ordinators who would work across schools and VCS to help them in their early help work with families.

·         There had been success with Health Visitors and School Nurses based at two sites;  more work needed to be undertaken to get the various partnerships working together.

·         The Prevention and Early Help programme was designed to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

The Strategic Director, Place will submit Document “N” which updates Members on the Street Cleansing service and included detailed information on complaints and performance in relation to litter and fly-tipping.

The report also provides information on recent major changes including the merger with Parks and Green spaces, service redesign and the recent recruitment of new staff.

Recommended-

(1)  That the Committee notes the information in the report particularly the major changes to the service, the information on complaints and monitoring of cleanliness standards and the recent recruitment of staff.

(2)  That a further report be presented in 2020 outlining the full-year impact of operational changes made since April 2019.

(Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

                                                                                    (Damian Fisher – 01274 437146)

The Strategic Director, Place submitted Document “N” which updated Members on the Street Cleansing service and included detailed information on complaints and performance in relation to litter and fly-tipping.

The report also provided information on recent major changes including the merger with Parks and Green spaces, service redesign and the recent recruitment of new staff.

Members made the following comments:

·         How did the staff feel about the new ways of working?

·         Concern was expressed at the number of fly tipping cases recorded by Wardens and the spike in the amount of litter and fly tipping reported to the Council.

·         Members would like to see the information officers had on litter hotspots.

·         Work of local volunteer led campaigns such as Bradfordforbetter were commended, such groups were behind litter-picks and community engagement projects, encouraging people to clean up and were doing a lot of awareness work on social media; Council Staff were thanked for the work they do in keeping the districts streets clean.

·         Were the teams that were not as proactive given guidance on responding to reporting of litter?

·         It was important that each Ward had the same level of support.

·         Consideration should be given to a pro social messaging campaign around litter which might lead people to think rather than the hard line adverts; needed to send out a message that if the Council did not have to spend so much on litter that money could be used to support valuable services that were important to them and the people of the district; the Council had a number of tips that could be used.

In response to Members comments it was reported that:

·         There was some resistance from staff originally but staff had got used to the new ways of working now.

·         Each ward had litter hotspots; gateway routes and litter hotspots were cleaned everyday; fly tipping and litter was a regular problem faced by Council staff.

·         The cleansing teams were all encouraged to pick litter whether reported or not and were working with wardens.

Resolved-

(1)       That the information in the report particularly the major changes to the service, the information on complaints and monitoring of cleanliness standards and the recent recruitment of staff be noted.

(2)       That the Committee recognises and supports the work of local volunteer led campaigns aimed at improving our neighbourhoods and keeping the districts streets clean. These were not a replacement but an addition to Council Services.

(3)       That the Committee recognises and thanks the public servants who work each day to keep the districts streets clean.

(4)       That a pro social messaging campaign in Bradford East around litter be explored.

(5)       That a further report be submitted to the Committee in 2020 outlining the full year impact of operational changes made since April 2019.

Action:           Strategic Director, Place

Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny

The operational management and maintenance of Bradford District’s Parks

and Green Spaces is a service devolved to Area Committees.  The service

merged with the Street Cleansing Service in April 2019.

The Strategic Director, Place will submit Document “O” which reports on the

activity during the past year and the trends and direction options where

available for future service delivery.

Recommended-

That the Committee welcomes the content of the report and the smooth merger of the operational management and maintenance of Parks and Green Spaces with the Street Cleansing Service, whilst reducing the number of complaints to the service over the summer.

(Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

                                                            (David Cansfield – 01274 437026)

The operational management and maintenance of Bradford District’s Parks and Green Spaces was a service devolved to Area Committees. The service merged with the Street Cleansing Service in April 2019.

The Strategic Director, Place submitted Document “O” which reported on the activity during the past year and the trends and direction options where available for future service delivery.

It was reported that the Council’s Sports Pitches Investment Programme would deliver the District’s new 2019 Playing Pitch Strategy to provide a hierarchy of outdoor playing pitch and ancillary facilities, which met current and future demand. This would seek to address declining playing numbers within the key sports of football, cricket, rugby (both league and union), tennis and athletics.

Members were informed that the capital spend of £15m, approved by the Project Approval Group and the Executive would be partnered by other external grant funding from National Governing Bodies and partners. This would deliver three district wide multi-sports hubs, five local multi-sports hubs and a number of single pitch improvements, creating opportunity for everyone to participate in physical activity and sport to improve outcomes across the District relating to health, well-being and community cohesion.  

In response to a Members question it was reported that the sites within Bradford East were currently being assessed; however Myra Shay had been identified as a District Wide Hub; investment would be made in a new floodlit All-Weather Pitch with updated changing facilities and a new all-weather cricket wicket.

There was a discussion on the limited budget for the maintenance of a large number of children’s play areas and the impact this would have on young children and families across the district.

It was reported that £39,500 was the yearly funding to maintain 308 current facilities; facilities were in the main repaired and replaced where possible; if a facility was not repairable and the Service did not have the funds it would not be replaced.

A Member commented on the importance of the districts parks and open spaces for the health and wellbeing of people in the district  

Resolved-

(1)       That the Committee welcomes the content of the report and the smooth merger of the operational management and maintenance of Parks and Green Spaces with the Street Cleansing Service, whilst reducing the number of complaints to the service over the summer.

(2)       That the Committee recognises the importance of the districts parks and open green spaces for the health and wellbeing of the districts residents.

(3)       That the Committee raises concerns about the limited budget for the maintenance of a large number of children’s play areas and the impact of this on offer to young children and families across the district.

(4)       That officers work with Ward Councillors to look at additional opportunities to extend areas of green spaces.

Action:           Strategic Director, Place

Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny

The Strategic Director, Place will submit Document “P” which presents information about the work of the Neighbourhood Wardens and the Environmental Enforcement Team.

Recommended-

That the Committee notes and welcomes the information in the report.

(Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

                                                            (Ishaq Shafiq – 01274 431066)

The Strategic Director, Place submitted Document “P” which presented information about the work of the Neighbourhood Wardens and the Environmental Enforcement Team.

It was reported that in April 2019 the Neighbourhood Service was restructured in order to further align services and to bring about improvements in service delivery; due to the synergies between Neighbourhood Wardens and Environmental Enforcement Officers the two services were brought together under a single management structure working from each of the five Area Co-ordinators’ Offices.

Members were informed that the new working arrangements allowed Environmental Enforcement Officers to triage their work and delegate work to Neighbourhood Wardens. This meant that Enforcement Officers were able to prioritise more complex cases and focus their attention on formal enforcement sanctions such as serving statutory notices and preparing prosecutions.

It was reported that working closer with Enforcement Officers and the provision of additional training would improve the knowledge and skills of Neighbourhood Wardens and increase their capacity to deal with environmental problems affecting the visible environment. The co-location arrangements facilitated improved communication between the Enforcement Officers, Wardens, Street Cleansing Operatives, Parks staff and Ward Officers pooling together skills, expertise, data and knowledge to have a greater reach and more informed impact.

Staff from the Neighbourhood Wardens and Enforcement attended the meeting and spoke on the examples of the work they undertook.

It was reported that Environmental Enforcement Officers responded to complaints generated through the Council’s Contact Centre, e-contact and from referrals by Wardens, other Neighbourhoods staff and stakeholders.  These referrals known as service requests could range from fly tipping, rubbish in gardens, waste from commercial premises, burning of waste to rodent infestations.

A Member commented that businesses had to take responsibility and dispose of their litter appropriately and consider the impression that it gave to people coming in and out of the City; officers needed to work closely with takeaways to reduce litter.

In response to the comments raised by Members it was reported that work would be undertaken with business in relation to disposing of litter.

A Member suggested that businesses could do more in the way of being more environmentally friendly such as looking at putting food in environmentally friendly containers etc.

Resolved-

(1)       That the information in the report be welcomed.

(2)       That a pro social messaging campaign in Bradford East around litter be explored.

Action:           Strategic Director, Place

Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny