(Members Code of Conduct - Part 4A of the Constitution)

To receive disclosures of interests from members and co-opted members on matters to be considered at the meeting. The disclosure must include the nature of the interest.

An interest must also be disclosed in the meeting when it becomes apparent to the member during the meeting.

Notes:

(1)       Members may remain in the meeting and take part fully in discussion and voting unless the interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest or an interest which the Member feels would call into question their compliance with the wider principles set out in the Code of Conduct.  Disclosable pecuniary interests relate to the Member concerned or their spouse/partner.

(2)       Members in arrears of Council Tax by more than two months must not vote in decisions on, or which might affect, budget calculations, and must disclose at the meeting that this restriction applies to them.  A failure to comply with these requirements is a criminal offence under section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. 

(3)       Members are also welcome to disclose interests which are not disclosable pecuniary interests but which they consider should be made in the interest of clarity.

(4)       Officers must disclose interests in accordance with Council Standing Order 44.

The following declarations of interest were made in the interest of transparency:

(i)         Councillor Cromie disclosed an interest in the item relating to Libraries      in Bradford South as the Queensbury Library was located in a building        for which she was a director for (The Queensbury Community   Programme Limited).

(ii)        Councillor Peart disclosed an interest in the item relating to the        Proposals for the restructure of Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) as she worked within this field and she also had a             close relative who received support form the service.

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. 

(Yusuf Patel - 01274 434579)

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 13 February 2018.

(Yusuf Patel - 01274 434579)

There were no questions submitted by the public.

The Strategic Director Place will submit a report (Document “T”) which outlines the development of the Changing Places projects across Bradford District and in particular Bradford South.

Recommended –

That members note the report.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee: Corporate

(Amria Khatun - 01274 437467)

The Strategic Director Place submitted a report (Document “T”) which outlined the development of the Changing Places projects across Bradford District and in particular Bradford South.

The Bradford South Area Coordinator explained that the Controlling Migration Fund was launched by the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government in November 2016; the principle aim of which was to respond to the challenges caused by high migration on localities and thus contribute to wider community cohesion and integration work. The Council had successfully made a bid of £1.388m from the Fund.

To this end a number of projects were being delivered across Bradford South and those involved in some of the projects were present at the meeting to give a flavour of the work being undertaken:

Bradford Youth Service was delivering a Youth Cohesion Programme enabling young people to become positive active citizens and role models for their communities; the target group being new migrant groups.  The Youth Services officer responsible for this project was present along with a number of young people involved in the project.  The participants through the project had undertaken a number of activities, enabling them to make new friendship groups as well as encouraging others in their respective communities to become more  involved.

In Great Horton a project was working with new migrant communities and the project had successfully tackled a number of issues around human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

A number of English and cultural awareness programmes had also been initiated.

That through a number of the projects people had been referred to other agencies, which could offer those people appropriate help and advice.

Projects within the Buttershaw and Holmwood estates were also alluded to, bringing communities together by improving coordination of different existing projects and  establishing of new ones ; through a community magazine, as well as promoting wellbeing and positivity of the estates.

Further projects were also alluded to which were detailed in the appendix to the report.

During the discussion, Members welcomed the projects being delivered across Bradford South and the positive impact these projects had had in bringing communities together as well as offering bespoke help.

A Ward Member for the Great Horton area stated that over the years a lot of concerns had been expressed as new communities moved into the area, however the drop in sessions at St John’s church had enabled a number of pertinent issues affecting new communities to be addressed; she however highlighted the need to address the issue of school attendance amongst the new migrant communities.

A Member stated that he had been raising issues facing new communities for a number of years, particularly around exploitation, abusing landlords, CSE and domestic violence and he urged that not only do these projects continue, but that difficult conversations had to take place, if these issues were going to be resolved.

A representative from St John’s Church was also present and stated that the church was proud to undertake this work in partnership with the Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.

The Strategic Director Place will submit a report (Document “R”) which gives an update on progress from April 2017 onwards of the five libraries in Bradford  South – Great Horton, Holme Wood, Queensbury, Wibsey and Wyke.

Recommended –

That Bradford South Area Committee note, and consider the content of this report.

Overview and Scrutiny Area: Regeneration and Economy

(Jackie Kitwood – 01274 437152)

The Strategic Director Place submitted a report (Document “R”) which gave an update on progress from April 2017 onwards of the five libraries in Bradford  South – Great Horton, Holme Wood, Queensbury, Wibsey and Wyke.

The Principal Libraries Officer gave credit to the library volunteers on what they had achieved in the community managed libraries and in particular transforming them into community hubs, and she hoped this work would continue and become sustainable.

A number of volunteers from the different community libraries across Bradford South were present at the meeting to give an overview of the work being undertaken, which was detailed in the report.

The volunteers were keen to stress that the focus of the libraries had changed significantly, and increasingly they were becoming community hubs offering drop in sessions on employment, education and training as well as engaging with young people and organising of coffee mornings to help new mums.  Partnerships were also being forged with other organisations via the library including iNCommunities and the job centre.

During the discussion, Members welcomed the excellent work being undertaken in the libraries and how activities within them had transformed them into community hubs, in particular the contribution of the volunteers was commended.

Members encouraged that officers should look at the activities being undertaken in the community libraries, with a view to implementing the more innovative options in the Council run libraries.

Resolved –

That the report be welcomed and that the volunteers working across the Libraries in Bradford South be commended for their dedication and hard work.

ACTION:       Strategic Director Place

Overview and Scrutiny Area: Regeneration and Economy

The Strategic Director of Children’s Services will submit a report (Document “S”) which presents the revised proposed model for the restructuring of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Specialist Teaching Support Services for children and young people with SEND to improve their educational outcomes.

Recommended –

That the details of Document “S” be noted and commented upon.

Overview and Scrutiny Area: Children’s Services

(Judith Kirk – 01274 439255)

The Strategic Director of Children’s Services submitted a report (Document “S”) which presented the revised proposed model for the restructuring of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Specialist Teaching Support Services for children and young people with SEND to improve their educational outcomes.

The revised proposals for SEND were detailed in the report .

During the discussion, a Member stated that the schools budget was already under severe pressure, which would have a severe impact across the board, and the only viable solution was to ensure schools undertook more early intervention work.

Despite the cuts to the National Funding Formula, a Member stated it was essential that children were still put first.  In response it was stressed that a more integrated support service was being envisaged which would be more streamlined.

A Member stated much of the work should focus on changing perceptions, and keeping more children in mainstream classes and meeting their needs within that setting.

A Member suggested that income generation should be looked at in order to put the service on a more sustainable footing.

A Member urged caution about being too rigid on locality working, and that if services can be provided effectively from a central location, that would be significant in terms of costs.

Resolved –

That Members suggestions, comments and observations on the proposals for the restructure of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) be taken into consideration as part of the consultation process.

ACTION:       Strategic Director Children’s Services

Overview and Scrutiny Area: Children’s Services