(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.

(1)           A number of Members declared pecuniary interests in the following items and left the meeting during voting on the specific grant funding application(s) that they had declared the interest in:

(i)             Councillors Dodds and Green declared pecuniary interests in relation to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund item (Minute 57), stating that they worked for Age UK, one of the organisations that had requested funding.

(ii)             Councillor S Khan declared a pecuniary interest in relation to the items onBradford South Grants (Minute 55) and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (Minute 57), namely that she had relatives who worked in two of the projects, Saif Space and the Sandale Trust.

(iii)          Councillor Walsh declared a pecuniary interest in relation to the items on Bradford South Grants (Minute 55), Community Building Grants (Minute 56) and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (Minute 57), namely that he worked for the Sandale Trust.

(2)           The following declarations were made in the interest of transparency:

(i)       In the interest of transparency Councillor Edwards declared an interest in the item relating to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund item (Minute 57), namely that he was a trustee of the Valley Project.

(ii)       In the interest of transparency, a number of Members declared an interest in relation to the item on the Bradford South Grant (Minute 55), as they were members of the Friends of Groups for the following Parks:

Cllr Dodds - Friends of Brackenhill Park.

Councillor Majkowski - Friends of Westwood Park. 

Councillor Johnson - Friends of Littlemoor Park.

ACTION: Director of Legal and Governance

Recommended –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 26 January 2023 be signed as a correct record (previously circulated).

(Yusuf Patel – 01274 434579)

Resolved –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 26 January 2023 be held as a correct record.

(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 14^th March 2023.

(Yusuf Patel - 01274 434579)

There were no questions submitted by the public.

The Strategic Director Place will submit a report (Document “S”) that considers objections to recently advertised proposals for traffic calming measures on Wibsey Park Avenue and Farfield Avenue, Bradford between the junctions with Reevylands Drive and Carr House Lane.

Recommended –

(1)  That the objections be overruled and the proposed traffic calming measures be implemented as advertised.

(2)  That the objectors be informed accordingly.

(Andrew Smith – 01274 434674)

Resolved –

That consideration of Document “S” be deferred to the first meeting of the Municipal Year.

ACTION: Strategic Director, Place

The Strategic Director Place will submit a report (Document “U”) that considers a petition requesting traffic safety measures on Back Lane, Queensbury.

Recommended –

(1)  That the Bradford South Area Committee notes the petition.

(2)  That based on the findings in Appendix 1, no further action be taken in respect of the request for additional safety measures on Back Lane.

(3)  That the petitioners be informed accordingly.

(Andrew Smith – 01274 434674)

The Strategic Director, Place submitted a report (Document “U”) that set out a petition that requested traffic safety measures on Back Lane, Queensbury.

The Chair invited representation to be made from the lead petitioner. The lead petitioner expressed concerns for safety on Back Lane due to increased traffic and highlighted that the route was used by heavy goods vehicles as well as buses. He stated that the current measures in place did not deter traffic and that further measures were required, hence the petition. The petitioner thanked Councillor Johnson for her support with the petition.

A Member stated that following the introduction of the Clean Air Zone, drivers were using Back Lane to cut through, and that due to the increased traffic people struggled to cross the road. It was noted that the increased traffic resulted in increased noise around the area particularly from heavy goods vehicles.

A Member of the Committee also acknowledged the need to gather new evidence and suggested that another traffic and speed survey should be carried out to provide the Committee with updated data, as the most recent traffic survey had been undertaken in 2019.

A Member acknowledged the poor standard of driving in Bradford but expressed concerns that if further traffic calming measures were to be installed on Back Lane, congestion would not be solved, and traffic would only be diverted onto adjacent roads. The Member asked the petitioner if they believed that the current speed bumps had an effect. In response, the petitioner stated that the bumps did not deter traffic from speeding and that large vehicles in particular caused significant noise issues.

During the discussion, Members considered various alternative solutions such as a mini roundabout at the top of Baldwin Lane and applying a weight restriction to vehicles over 7.5 tonnes. The Committee however acknowledged that whilst these options could be explored, there was a very limited budget, and this must be taken into consideration.

Resolved –

(1)           That the petition be noted.

(2)           That a road traffic survey to measure volume and speed of traffic be undertaken as a matter of urgency to obtain updated data on Back Lane.

(3)           That further consultation be undertaken with the residents and Ward Councillors on the traffic issues affecting Back Lane, and that a report be brought back to the Area Committee setting out the options.

ACTION: Strategic Director, Place

The Strategic Director Place will submit a report (Document “T”) that considers objections to a recently advertised proposal for a two point closure on Chuch Street, Buttershaw, Bradford between it’s junctions with Halifax Road and Farfield Avenue.

Recommended –

(1)  That the objections be upheld and the proposal be abandoned.

(2)  That the objectors be informed accordingly.

(Andrew Smith – 01274 434674)

The Strategic Director, Place submitted a report (Document “T”) that set out objections to a previously advertised proposal for a two-point closure on Church Street, Buttershaw, Bradford between the junctions with Halifax Road and Farfield Avenue.

The Chair invited representations from residents’ who were in attendance, and they made the following comments:

A resident in favour of the proposed closure described how she had witnessed numerous issues such as fly-tipping and that she and her family regularly cleaned up the abandoned waste to try to improve the area, and she urged Members to support the closure of Church Street.

An objector to the proposed closure was also present and stated that although he acknowledged the issue of fly-tipping, he had reservations regarding the closure of Church Street and that it would result in traffic being diverted onto other roads, which could cause larger vehicles to get stuck.

A Member of the Committee acknowledged that the site in question was a fly-tipping hotspot and that the cameras in place were not currently gathering the information that was needed for a successful prosecution. A number of Members also expressed their reservations about closing off Church Street entirely.

The resident in favour of the proposed closure ascertained if a further review could be undertaken with a view to closing off the road at a certain point.  In response the Chair highlighted that if the proposed closure point was altered then the matter would have to re-advertised and a new consultation exercise would need to be undertaken.

The Committee also noted that the issue of fly-tipping was an environmental issue not a traffic issue. Members highlighted the need to identify a way to tackle fly-tipping and suggested that Highways and the Ward Officer work with Environmental Protection to come up with a workable solution, and it was therefore:

Resolved –

(1)           That Highways, Environmental Protection and the Ward Officer be asked to work in conjunction with the Ward Councillors to look at additional steps that could be taken to detect and reduce fly tipping on the section of Church Street, including inhibiting vehicular access and that a report be brought back to the Area Committee setting out the options.

(2)           That Highways look at the process of consultation with interested parties, with a view to simplifying the process.

ACTION: Strategic Director, Place

The Strategic Director Place will submit a report (Document “V”) that provides information on Capital Highway Maintenance funding and makes recommendations on the allocation for Non-Classified road resurfacing schemes and Surface Dressing sites.

Recommended –

That the Bradford South Area Committee approves the proposed programme of works as shown in Appendix 1 and 2.

(Andrew Whelan – 01274 434409)

The Strategic Director, Place submitted a report (Document “V”) that provided the Committee with information on Capital Highway Maintenance funding. The report also made recommendations on the allocation for Non-Classified road resurfacing schemes and Surface Dressing sites. The Principal Engineer for Highway Maintenance summarised the report and briefly explained the information contained in Appendix 1 and 2.

A Member queried the quality of work being commissioned and how it was monitored. The Principal Engineer stated that sites were monitored by the Council and that each site completed had a two-year maintenance warranty. The Principal Engineer also addressed the Committee’s concerns about the quality of work, it was acknowledged that harsh weather influenced the surface, and any particular sites of concern could be looked into further.

A Member expressed concern surrounding the distribution of sites and money being spent and noted there was a significant difference between wards. The Principal Engineer advised that sites in the worst condition were prioritised hence the disparity. The Principal Engineer explained that it was efficient to work on the roads most in need rather than divide the funding equally between wards.

A Committee Member asked if other roads could be added to the list but was advised that this would not be feasible at this stage, however, could be looked at in the future.

A Member asked if Councillors could obtain reassurances about the standard of work and questioned how many were called back due to unsatisfactory work. The Principal Engineer stated that a spreadsheet that detailed different sites could be made available to Members which detailed statistics about call-backs.

Resolved –

That the proposed programme of works as shown in Appendix 1 and 2, attached to Document “V”, be approved.

ACTION: Strategic Director, Place

The Strategic Director Place will submit a report (Document “W”) that provides Members with an update on progress of the Smart Street Lighting project, specifically, the work completed in the Bradford South constituency replacing old street lighting luminaires, life expired columns and the installation of the Central Management system and LoRaWAN network.

Recommended –

(1)  That Members acknowledge the progress of the Smart Street Lighting project and welcome future updates.

(2)  That Members endorse the project and the positive impact for Bradford South.

(Allun Preece – 01274 434019)

The Strategic Director, Place submitted a report (Document “W”) that provided Members with an update on the progress of the Smart Street Lighting project, specifically the work completed in the Bradford South constituency. The Committee was informed that the ‘Invest to Save’ project would reduce lighting and maintenance costs. The Principal Engineer acknowledged that there had been issues surrounding the mapping of lights, but recently lights had been geofenced into wards, so future reports would be more accurate.

The Committee ascertained when redundant columns would be removed completely as there were many throughout Bradford South and that they were unsightly and dangerous. The Principal Engineer advised the Committee that Bradford South was the first area of work undertaken by the contractor and that tracking removals was not in place at the time, hence the issues raised. The Principal Engineer also advised Members that an inspection team could be sent out to investigate issues and that Ward Councillors could be emailed when the information became available. The Committee were assured that the contractor would only be paid on completion and that the quality of work would be closely monitored.

A Member asked about street lights on Great Horton Road and stated that residents had complained that the lights were not bright enough and questioned what could be done. In response Members were informed that lighting was in line with standards and that any dimming started after 10pm, however some may appear darker due to light being focussed on the road rather than the surrounding area. The Principal Engineer assured Members that any specific issues could be further investigated.

A Member asked about Appendix D and noted the difference in variation across wards and that Tong ward had the lowest percentage. The Principal Engineer explained that lantern changes were much quicker to do and that during COVID the contractor had been unable to obtain steel columns for 16 weeks which had added significant delays to the project.

The Principal Engineer was questioned about Holme Wood and the ornamental lights that had been replaced. In response it was explained that there was a plan to replace ornamental lights with standard lanterns, but maintenance made it difficult to maintain consistency on ornamental lights.

A Member asked about a lighting unit on Ashfield and raised concern about the communication. The Principal Engineer told the Committee that the biggest challenge was obtaining up to date information from the contractor. Members were further informed that the contractor was facing significant difficulties with finding suitable subcontractors. The Chair expressed concern surrounding the project and the contractor. The Principal Engineer acknowledged concerns but advised Members that apart from column replacement the contractor was ahead of schedule, however there were difficulties being experienced by the contractor on the more complicated works.

A Member informed the Committee about a resident on Moore Close Avenue who had asked about the column cut down. The resident had been advised the work would be completed by September but there were numerous delays and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53.

The Strategic Director of Children’s Services will submit a report (Document “X”) that provides an overview of the progress made within the Bradford South area on Family Hub Prevention and Early Help Services and progress on our district-wide Family Hubs Start for Life delivery plan.

Recommended –

That the progress on the Family Hub Prevention and Early Help Services and the district-wide Family Hubs Start for Life delivery plan be noted.

(Lisa Brett – 01274 431610)

The Strategic Director, Children’s Services presented a report (Document “X”) that provided Members of the Committee with an update on the progress made within the Bradford South area on Family Hub Prevention and Early Help Services. The report also detailed the progress made on the district-wide Family Hubs Start for Life delivery plan. Officers summarised the report and informed the Committee about the work taking place to help support and identify families where issues were low-level to prevent issues escalating.

Officers told the Committee that they were a 0-19 service, but the main funding covered ‘1001 days’ mainly 0-2 years. Officers noted the impact of COVID, and that Family Hubs had been closed during this time and as a result lots of work had taken place online but there had been steady progress since the relaunch. Officers brought attention to the new website that had been launched in November 2022 that gave professionals and the community information about what was available across Bradford.

A Member asked how the voice of the child was being recorded and considered. Officers told the Committee that family support workers would speak to the children and that they also work in conjunction with schools and youth workers. Officers assured Members that frequent reviews take place and that the child is involved in the process.

A Member asked about the number of complaints received and if there had been any recurring themes. In response it was stressedthat some families request a change of worker but not many complaints are received, however official numbers could be provided in the future.

A Member of the Committee questioned what work was being done with faith communities and asked about signposting towards resources such as foodbanks. Officers advised that signposting towards resources such as foodbanks could be done and that they planned to reach out to more faith organisations.

The Committee asked how the locality plan influenced work and in response it was acknowledged that there was a need to make reference to the locality plan.

A Member asked about disengagement figures and stated that if people are unhappy, they would just disengage. Officers told the Committee that in terms of the parenting groups the completion rate could be seen in the report. Officers added that if families stop attending, they try to contact them within the first two weeks but that they do not go beyond that. Members were informed that figures on dropouts could be obtained and presented in future reports.

Resolved –

(1)           That the progress on the Family Hub Prevention and Early Help Services and the district-wide Family Hubs Start for Life delivery plan be noted.

(2)           That thanks be passed onto all staff working in the hub and their work be commended.

ACTION: Strategic Director, Children’s Services

The Strategic Director Place will submit a report (Document “Y”) that summarises the grants that have been awarded in the Bradford South Constituency between 1^st of April 2022 to 31 March 2023.

Recommended –

(1)  That the wide range of applications from groups and organisations across Bradford South are noted and welcomed.

(2)  That the Grants Advisory Group is thanked for their work in allocating all of the grants from the past financial year – 2022/2023.

(Ishaq Shafiq – 01274 431155)

The Strategic Director, Place submitted (Document “Y”) that summarised the grants that had been awarded in the Bradford South Constituency between the 1^st of April and the 31^st of March.

Resolved –

(1)           That the wide range of applications from groups and organisations across Bradford South be noted and welcomed.

(2)           That the Grants Advisory Group be thanked for their work in allocating all of the grants from the past financial year – 2022/2023.

ACTION: Strategic Director, Place

The Strategic Director Place will submit a report (Document “Z”) that outlines therecommendations ofthe Bradford South Area CommitteeGrants Advisory Group for the allocation of Community Buildings Grants 2023-2025.

Recommended –

That Bradford South Area Committee approves the Community Buildings Grants as set out in Para 3.4 of the report.

(Riad Terzic / Ishaq Shafiq – 01274 437399 / 431155)

The Strategic Director, Place presented (Document “Z”) that outlined the recommendations of the Bradford South Area Committee Grants Advisory Group for the allocation of Community Buildings Grants 2023-2025.

Resolved –

That the Community Buildings Grants as set out in Para 3.4 of Document “Z” be approved.

ACTION: Strategic Director, Place

The Strategic Director Place will submit a report (Document “AA”) that provides a review of the above funding opportunity and provides an outline of how the devolved funding will be distributed in Bradford. The report will focus on the role of the Area Committees in terms of decision maker of local funding and influencer of the district delivery.

Recommended –

(1)  That the contents of the report be noted.

(2)  That the Area Committee agree the proposals for funding allocation in Appendix B.

(3)  That the Area Committee accept the annual report on the progress of UKSPF delivery.

(Ruth Davison / Ingunn Vallumroed – 01274 432111 / 07816 355406)

The Strategic Director, Place submitted a report to the Committeethat provided a review of the funding opportunity detailed in (Document “AA”) and outlined how the devolved funding would be distributed. The report focussed on the role of Area Committees as decision makers.

Resolved –

(1)           That the contents of Document “AA” be noted.

(2)           That the proposals for funding allocation set out in Appendix B, to Document “AA”, be agreed.

(3)           That the annual report on the progress of UKSPF delivery be accepted.

(4)           That a report detailing the future funding arrangements be brought back to this Committee, early in the Municipal Year. 

ACTION: Strategic Director, Place