(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.

Councillor Sinead Engel declared an interest as a former student of Huddersfield University (minute 7)

(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. 

(Asad Shah - 01274 432280)

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 Monday 15 March 2021.

(Asad Shah - 01274 432280)

There were no questions submitted by the public.

The report of the Strategic Director, Place (Document “G”) 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 West Area Committee approves the proposed programme of works for as shown in Appendix 1 and 2.

(Andy Whelan – 01274 434409)

The Interim Strategic Director, Place presented a report (Document “G”) that provided Members with details of the allocation of the capital highway maintenance budget to the non-classified road network and surface dressing sites for 2021/22 in Bradford West.

It was essential that highway maintenance continued to be a priority with surveys carried out to selected sites which were in the greatest need of repairs and supplemented by roads which had further deteriorated due to age or as a result of recent winter weather.

Members were provided with the relevant financial information in relation to schemes both in Bradford West and for the District as a whole.  Officers also provided a list of sites which were earmarked for works to be carried out and a substitute list which Members had the opportunity to request for inclusion in order to meet local highway maintenance concerns.

Members were then given the opportunity to make comments and ask questions, the details of which, and the responses given, are as below:

A Member raised the issue of uneven footpaths in Lower Grange and whether they would be looked at with a view to repairs.  Officers advised that this would be carried out.

A Member commented on funding which needed to be transferred from Bradford East as it falls under Bradford West.  Officers stated that this would be looked into accordingly.

Resolved –

That the Bradford West Area Committee approved the proposed programme of works for as shown in Appendix 1 and 2 of Document “G”

Action: Interim Strategic Director, Place

The report of the Strategic Director, Place (Document “H”) has been produced to provide Members with a progress report of the Smart Street Lighting Project to date. It will also explain some of the processes and activities to come and provide details of the significant benefits expected to be realised to the District as a result of this project. 

Recommended –

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

(2)       Members endorse the project as a positive investment across the         Bradford District bringing significant benefits overall.

(Allun Preece – 01274 434019)

The report of the Interim Strategic Director, Place (Document “H”) was presented to the Committee to provide Members with a progress report on the Smart Street Lighting Project.  The report also contained an explanation of some of the processes and activities still to be completed and the positive and significant benefits that the project would produce. 

Members were provided with Ward specific data to help them evaluate the benefit to their local areas.

The main aim of the project was to significantly reduce energy usage, maintenance costs and a reduction in the district’s carbon output.  The majority of the work would be carried out by an external contractor who would be carrying out surveys of all the existing street lighting assets within the District. Surveys would also assist the Council in identifying upgrade works to lighting assets.

The delivery contractor had also pledged to fulfil a number of targets which had social value (e.g. apprenticeships, local suppliers and Duke of Edinburgh enrolment for employees under 23 years and 6 months of age).  These would contribute benefits in the region of £3.8M.

It was intended to set up a webpage and designated email address for enquiries.  Lantern by lantern energy savings would be available to view and would also enable regular reporting of energy savings and carbon usage reductions.

Members were then given the opportunity to make comments and ask questions, the details of which, and the responses given, are as below:

·         A Member stated that complaints were being received that the scheme was taking longer and that lights were not being replaced

·      Officers advised that repairs were not part of the project and wiring for conversion takes longer.  In the appendices of the report provided to members were details of arranged replacements, which depended on the reason for removal

·         In terms of an Equality Impact Assessment, was gender taken into account i.e women being able to go out?

·      Officers advised that community safety formed part of their assessment but gender was not taken into account

·         Could it be included in assessment recommendations?

·      Officers advised that they would look at the impact and pointed to £45m funding for Communities Safety but this related more to footpaths but could be reviewed for potential impacts

·         Twenty three cut-downs had taken place in Clayton ward on the same walking route, when would the programme start?

·      Officers advised that the appendix to the report contained the outline timescale for installations to commence which was due in October 2021.   Members were encouraged to contact Officers if any areas were impacted disproportionately

·         Work was due to start in November 2021 in the ward, why were there so many emergency cut-downs?  Assurances had been given that these would be addressed.  How much of the project would benefit Bradford West?

·      Officers advised that specific details were not known at present and the cluster of cut down columns could be due to age or type.  The Council’s own officers were carrying out additional assessments following the contract survey

·         Who was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

The report of the Chief Executive Officer (Document “I”) provides an update to and builds on the report presented to the District Area Committees previously regarding the issue of Child Exploitation (CE). It focuses on the Strategic Response to all forms of exploitation in Children and Adults and how partners from the Working Together to Safeguard Children – the Bradford Partnership and the Bradford Safeguarding Adults Board work to drive improvements across the District and to hold agencies to account for their work in their area. This report also outlines the emergence of other complex safeguarding themes and outlines how partners are effectively collaborating and focussing upon the protection of vulnerable Children and Adults.

Recommended –

(1)       The Area Committee is invited to consider the contents of this   report and how members can support local activity.

(2)       The Area Committee shall receive a further update on the            progress of the response to exploitation in 12 months’ time.

(3)       Partners will seek further funding opportunities from Government        funding streams to enable to continuation of service provision as          outlined in this report.

(Darren Minton – 01274 434361)

The report of the Chief Executive’s Office (Document “I”) was presented to the Committee to provide and update to the report previously presented to the Area Committee regarding the issue of Child Exploitation.  The Bradford Partnership (TBP) scrutinised the District responses to this and provided professional challenge to those responses.

The report also focused on the strategic response to all forms of exploitation to children and adults and how partners were contributing to improve service provision across the District.  Through collaborative working, awareness and understanding had been improved to enable professionals to recognise and respond to wider types of exploitation. 

TBP partners have recognised the emergence of wider safeguarding themes within TBP Strategic Plan 2019/20 and the Risk and Vulnerabilities in Complex Safeguarding sub group have agreed on a district strategic response to exploitation under the following six headings.

(1)   Identify and understand the nature and scale of the themes involved.
(2)  Prevention, Education and Awareness
(3)  Safeguarding vulnerable people, groups and communities
(4)  Effective leadership and governance
(5)  Disrupt and Prosecute.
(6)  Communication, Engagement and Empowerment

Officers advised that partners finalised a strategic response to CE and to Risk and Vulnerabilities in Complex Safeguarding, publishing an Exploitation Protocol and a Risk Assessment tool.  Front door arrangements within Children’s Social Care were extended to address wider exploitation utilising new multi-agency processes.  Training was continually provided by the Bradford District Police Cyber Team and other partners relating to exploitation and online safety.

The report provided details of the partner organisations involved and how changes in legislation affected and guided Governance and Infrastructure.  It also detailed the various categories of exploitation and how the partnership was working to tackle the issues raised.  The report contained links guidance documents and to real life accounts of abuse plus a summary of the position in terms of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) within the District, how they were categorised and what they entailed.

Members were then given an opportunity to make comments and ask questions, the details of which and the responses given, are as below:

·         Had the serious case review from the report been published and if so, where?

·         Reference page 37 of the report, The Bradford Safeguarding Advisory Board, who had been commissioned?

·         The work on the ‘On the Buses’ project had been paused due to Covid, when would be starting again?

·         There had been a significant rise in the number of children removed from school roll since September.  How were the authority staying on top of the situation and measuring this issue?

·         From point 2.25 of the report, what organisations were involved and how was the Board made up?

·      Officers advised that commissions were not external but were undertaken by multi-agency partner boards (task and finish groups).  The ‘On the Buses’ project arose out of work by the Adult group around Hate Crime and that bus drivers were being trained to help vulnerable adults who may be getting bullied.  Education was high on the agenda with weekly  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.