(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 must consider their interests, and act according to the following:

(2)       Disclosable pecuniary interests relate to the Member concerned or their spouse/partner.

(3)       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. 

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

No disclosures of interest in matters under discussion were made.

Recommended –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 25 July 2023 be signed as a correct record (previously circulated).

(Yusuf Patel / Jane Lythgow – 07970 411923 / 07970 411623)

Resolved –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 25 July 2023 be signed 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 / Jane Lythgow – 07970 411923 / 07970 411623)

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

The Committee is asked to note any referrals that have been made and decide how it wishes to proceed, for example by incorporating the item into the work programme, requesting that it be subject to more detailed examination, or refer it to an appropriate Working Group/Committee.

There were no referrals made to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Strategic Director Place will submit a report (Document “I”) which provides a detailed multi-agency response to the recommendations and findings to the Hate Crime Scrutiny Review.

Recommended –

The Overview & Scrutiny Committee to consider the progress made on the District’s Hate Crime work by Bradford Council, Bradford Hate Crime Alliance and West Yorkshire Police and partners, in response to the recommendations identified in the Hate Crime Scrutiny Review.

(Neena Punnu - 07582 109834)

The Strategic Director Place submitted a report (Document “I”) which provided a detailed multi-agency response to the recommendations and findings to the Hate Crime Scrutiny Review.

The Assistant Director, Place gave a comprehensive overview of the report setting out the progress made on each of the recommendations and findings relating to the Hate Crime Scrutiny Review, which were detailed in Document “I”.  The Assistant Director in particular drew Member’s attention to the excellent partnership working that was taking place, which formed part of a multi-agency approach which had led to an increase in the number of incidents being reported; however, more work was required in raising awareness around hate crime, as there was still an aspect of underreporting.  To this end further training and raising awareness sessions were envisaged, which would enable victims to come forward and ensure that they were being listened to and supported, as well as feel that appropriate action was being taken against perpetrators.

The Chair thanked officers and the excellent partnership working in supporting this vital piece of work and he acknowledged that good progress had been made since the review was undertaken.

In response to a question regarding the work with Morley Street Resource Centre, it was explained that although three meetings had been held over this year, more work was required with the centre as the lead officer was no longer in post and there had been a six-month hiatus, however reengagement since the pandemic was bearing fruit and this work will continue.

In response to a question regarding the reporting centres and their impact, it was stressed that there was a need to reduce the number of reporting centres, as much of the reporting was done via the hate crime reporting app.

A Member queried how hate incidents and hate crime were recorded as not all incidents would necessarily meet the threshold whereby they would lead to a prosecution.  He gave the example of misogyny as an example of a hate incident and suggested that there should be a way of recording these type of incidents as well as receiving outcomes from the Police on the wider issues relating to Hate Crime.  In response, the Assistant Director Place acknowledged that a statistical recording mechanism should be in place and she went onto explain that misogyny was an area of work that was being progressed, in particular around behaviours etc, with the College and University and their efforts to tackle harassment in and around the campus.

In response, a Member stated that the issue of harassment around the College/University had been prevalent over many years and it was good to see that the College/University were now taking a proactive approach in tackling this issue.  He added that tracking hate incidents was important going forward and that it would enable better monitoring to take place.

In response to a further question regarding misogyny, it was suggested that work should also be done with 6^th forms across the district.  The Assistant Director  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

The Chair of the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee will submit a report (Document “J”) which sets out in Appendix 1 the Draft Annual Overview and Scrutiny Report for 2022-23.

Recommended –

(1)       That the Committee adopts the proposed Annual Report with any        amendments it may choose to make.

(2)       That the Annual Overview and Scrutiny Report for 2022-23 be   referred to Council for consideration.

(Mustansir Butt - 01274 432574)

The Chair of the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee submitted a report (Document “J”) which set out in Appendix 1 the Draft Annual Overview and Scrutiny Report for 2022-23.

The Overview and Scrutiny Lead drew Members’ attention to a minor amendment in the recommendations set out in Document “J”, and subject to those changes, it was therefore:

Resolved -

(1)       That the Committee considered the Annual Report for Overview           and Scrutiny 2022-23.

(2)       That the Annual Report for Overview and Scrutiny 2022-23, be referred to Council to be adopted.

ACTION:       Director of Legal and Governance (Recommendation 2)

The Chair of the Corporate Overview & Scrutiny Committee will submit a report (Document “K”) which includes the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee work programme for 2023/24, which are attached as appendix 1 to Document “H”

Also attached as appendix 2, is a list of unscheduled topics for 2023-24.

Recommended –

(1)       That Committee may choose to add to or amend the topics included in the 2023-24 work programme for the committee.

(2)       That members consider any detailed scrutiny reviews that they may wish to conduct.

(Mustansir Butt - 01274 432574)

The Chair of the Corporate Overview & Scrutiny Committee submitted a report (Document “K”) which included the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee work programme for 2023/24, which was attached as appendix 1 to Document “H”.  Also attached as appendix 2, was a list of unscheduled topics for 2023-24.

The Overview and Scrutiny Lead stated that a number of sessions had been arranged around the Call for Action relating to Anti-Social Behaviour, with a session planned on 18 Sept at Grange Interlink Centre and a session on 28 Sept in Ilkley.  A further session was also planned and Members will be resent invitations for all the planned sessions, which will be held in person.

Resolved –

That the committee discussed and amended the work programme.

ACTION: Overview & Scrutiny Lead