No disclosures of interest in matters under consideration were received.

(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. 

(Jane Lythgow/Tracey Sugden – 01274 432270/434287)

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

The following referral has been made to this Committee up to and including the date of publication of this agenda.

Regeneration and Economy Overview & Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 30 November 2016 resolved amongst other things: 

“That the Environment and Waste Overview and Scrutiny Committee be requested to consider undertaking a review of the role of Council Wardens.

The Committee is asked to note the referral listed above 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.

(Mustansir Butt – 01274 432574)

Members were advised that the following referral had been made to the Committee.

Regeneration and Economy Overview & Scrutiny Committee had, at its meeting on 30 November 2016, resolved amongst other things: 

“That the Environment and Waste Overview and Scrutiny Committee be requested to consider undertaking a review of the role of Council Wardens.

The Committee was asked to note the referral and decide how it wished 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.

Resolved –

That the referral from the Regeneration and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee be added to the Work Programme 2016/17.

ACTION: Overview and Scrutiny Lead

Members of the Committee have requested an update on air quality across the Bradford District. The report of the Strategic Director, Health and Wellbeing (Document “R”) provides information about the results of the routine monitoring which is carried out, the health impacts of air quality on the residents of Bradford, and steps which are being put in place to tackle this problem. The report also looks at possible future actions which can be taken.

Recommended –

That the contents of the report be considered and officers be supported in their continued measures to tackle poor air quality across the district.

(Ruth Lees – 01274 431349)

Members of the Committee had requested an update on air quality across the Bradford District. The report of the Strategic Director, Health and Wellbeing (Document “R”) provided information about the results of the routine monitoring which was carried out, the health impacts of air quality on the residents of Bradford, and detailed measures which were being put in place to tackle the problem. The report also looked at possible future actions which could be taken.

The report outlined the health impacts arising from man-made air pollution and air quality monitoring measures undertaken.  It was reported that four areas in the District were not achieving UK air quality objectives.  Members were aware that the Council had a statutory duty to designate those locations as Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs), which it had in September 2006.  An action plan setting out the measures that it would adopt to make progress towards the achievement of the air quality objectives had been developed.  The AQAP had taken account of the contributory factors leading to the air quality objective being exceeded and any limitations in Bradford Council’s ability to act on this issue. The air quality strategy and Low Emissions Strategy previously adopted were deemed to be part of that action plan.

Partnership working to understand and address issues arising from poor air quality and tangible actions to improve air quality in the District were presented. The report revealed that, in recognition of the fact that issues affecting poor air quality were cross boundary, Bradford had led on a successful bid to Defra to secure funding to develop a Low Emissions Strategy for the West Yorkshire Region.  The West Yorkshire Low Emissions Strategy had been adopted by Council on 6 December 2016 and the other West Yorkshire Authorities were going through the adoption process.

Document “R” reported the Government’s announcement, in December 2015, that Leeds would be one of five cities which would have a mandated Clean Air Zone (CAZ) imposed in order to improve air quality to meet legal limits.  There were an additional 23 cities likely to require CAZ and it was understood that Bradford could be one of them.

Members were pleased to note the good work which had been carried out and welcomed initiatives including the electronic vehicle charging points and conditions on new build properties.

The Authority’s response to the potential requirement for a mandated CAZ was questioned.  In response it was explained that positive steps to control air quality could be demonstrated.  The Authority had won awards in that arena and Defra were aware of progress and had started to request further information.  Members were informed of a grant bid which had been submitted to provide electric cars on trial for residents to test on new developments.

Statistics revealing a breakdown of the most significant exhaust emissions from traffic on the roads was questioned.  In response it was explained that the data had not been included in the report but was available and would be provided  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

The report of the Strategic Director, Regeneration, (Document “S”) provides an update to the three previous recommendations around the management of the district’s Killed and Serious Injuries (KSI’s) on the highway.  The report also comments on the current risk to the Inter-Departmental Agreements between Planning, Transportation & Highways Service and Public Health around the Road Safety Team and Active School Travel.

Recommended –

(1)  That the strong Casualty Reduction performance in Bradford against the rest of the County be endorsed.

(2)  That the Strategic Director, Regeneration, be requested to provide a status in March 2017 on the progress of the Safer Roads element of the Single Transport Plan.

(3) That the Director of Public Health and the Strategic Director, Regeneration be requested to update this Committee on the budget outcome and any impact on the Road Safety Team and the Active School Travel programme as a result;

(4) That the Director of Public Health and the Strategic Director, Regeneration be requested to update the Committee on a strategy to underwrite the continued existence of the Road Safety Team and Active School Travel Programme and report back in March, 2017.

(Simon D’Vali – 01535 618375)

The report of the Strategic Director, Regeneration, (Document “S”) provided an update to previous recommendations around the management of the district’s Killed and Serious Injuries (KSI’s) on the highway.  The report also commented on the current risk to the Inter-Departmental Agreements between Planning, Transportation & Highways Service and Public Health around the Road Safety Team and Active School Travel.

A presentation was provided which detailed the number of all casualties, broken down into each local authority, in the West Yorkshire area and it was reported that Bradford’s performance against its neighbours was good.  Issues in some areas of deprivation, particularly in the Bradford East constituency were reported and Members were advised that Bradford East was the second highest in the country for child casualties. The presentation continued with statistical information comparing methods of travel with those KSIs; contributory factors and all child casualties between January and December 2016 in the West Yorkshire area.

The role of the Road Safety Team was discussed and it was maintained that their role was a significant support in reducing casualties and death.  The report revealed that funding for the Road Safety Team was derived from a Public Health Grant following a report on the synergies between casualty reduction and health priorities three years previously.  Public Health were reviewing all Inter-Departmental Agreements (IDAs) due to budget cuts and the Road Safety Team was part of that review.  It was confirmed that the review was out for consultation and Highways and Public Health would consider possible measures of making up a shortfall.

It was questioned how that support would be developed and Members were advised that a bid could be made to the Local Transport Plan (LTP) Board to allocate an element of the LTP funding to the Road Safety Team.  The formation of a new West Yorkshire Safer Roads Executive was reported.  The Executive was chaired by the Assistant Director, Planning, Transportation and Highways and included all heads of service, West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue and the Ambulance Services together with commissioning groups with budgets available for highways.  The Executive would convene its second meeting in January 2017 and would prioritise the direction of future funding. 

The report revealed national evidence that funding cuts to Road Safety had resulted in an increase in casualty levels.  Members were concerned to note that it had then taken five years of intensive education, training and publicity to return to previous casualty levels.  In response they were advised that the issue had been discussed in Parliament.

The method to set reduction targets appended to Document “S” were questioned and it was explained that a correlation of the West Yorkshire area was used. 

The report evidenced that driver error and behaviour was a cause of accidents but did not appear to include statistics on vehicle speed.  In response it was explained that intervention regarding speed reduction had not been included in the report, however, significant improvements had been made in built up areas with 20mph zones  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41.

Document “T” presents the Committee’s work programme 2016-17.

Recommended –

(1)  That Members consider and comment on the areas of work included in the 2016-17 work programme for the Committee.

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

(3)  That the work programme 2016-17 continues to be reviewed regularly during the year.

(Mustansir Butt – 01274 432574)

Document “T” presented the Committee’s work programme 2016-17. It was agreed that the work the programme would be updated with the items discussed during the meeting.

That the referral from the Regeneration and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee be added to the work programme for 2016/17.

ACTION: Overview and Scrutiny Lead