Local democracy

Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 1 - City Hall, Bradford

Contact: Jill Bell / Yusuf Patel 

Items
No. Item

217.

DISCLOSURES OF INTEREST

(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.

 

Minutes:

In the interest of transparency Cllr Hinchcliffe informed the meeting that she chairs the Bradford Cultural Place Partnership in relation to Minute 221 - A New Ten Year Cultural Strategy for the District .This is not a disclosable pecuniary interest.

 

ACTION: City Solicitor

 

218.

INSPECTION OF REPORTS AND BACKGROUND PAPERS

(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. 

 

(Jill Bell / Yusuf Patel - 01274 434580 434579)

Minutes:

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

documents.

 

219.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE EXECUTIVE

To note any recommendations to the Executive that may be the subject of report to a future meeting.  (Schedule to be tabled at the meeting). 

 

 (Jill Bell / Yusuf Patel - 01274 434580 434579)

 

Minutes:

There were no recommendations referred to the Executive.

 

HEALTHY PEOPLE AND PLACES PORTFOLIO

(Councillor Ferriby)

220.

BRADFORD CLEAN AIR PLAN (CAP) pdf icon PDF 1 MB

Since Autumn 2018 the Council has been working under Ministerial Direction to prepare a local plan for how it intends to deal with exceedances of the legal levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) at key locations in the District. In December 2020 the Council submitted its Clean Air Plan (CAP) full business case (FBC) to Government setting out its plan to implement a category ‘C’ Clean Air Zone in the District.  The arrangements in the FBC were assessed by representatives of the Joint Air Qualities Unit (JAQU) who have recommended a provisional funding award to Ministers for confirmation and delivery during 2021.  The report of the Strategic Director, Health & Wellbeing

(Document “DN”) updates Executive on the arrangements set out in the CAP and seeks endorsement for its implementation.

 

Recommended -

 

that the Executive:

 

(1)       approve the implementation of a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) in Bradford at the beginning of 2022

 

(2)       approve the delegation of authority to the Strategic Director Place, in consultation with the Healthy People and Places Portfolio Holder, the Regeneration, Planning and Transport Portfolio Holder, the Director of Finance and the City Solicitor for the purpose of carrying out consultation on the Bradford Clean Air Zone, Charging Scheme Order (CSO) and its subsequent adoption including the confirmation of relevant grant and exemption packages

 

(3)       approve the delegation of authority to the Strategic Director Place in consultation with the Healthy People and Places Portfolio Holder and the Regeneration, Planning and Transport Portfolio Holder for the design and delivery of Clean Air Zone publicity campaigns

 

(Regeneration & Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee)

                                                (Andrew Whittles - 0758 405 8868)

Minutes:

Since Autumn 2018 the Council had been working under Ministerial Direction to prepare a local plan for how it intends to deal with exceedances of the legal levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) at key locations in the District. In December 2020 the Council submitted its Clean Air Plan (CAP) full business case (FBC) to Government setting out its plan to implement a category ‘C’ Clean Air Zone in the District.  The arrangements in the FBC were assessed by representatives of the Joint Air Qualities Unit (JAQU) who had recommended a provisional funding award to Ministers for confirmation and delivery during 2021.  The report of the Strategic Director, Health & Wellbeing (Document “DN”) updated Executive on the arrangements set out in the CAP and sought endorsement for its implementation.

 

Professor Josie McEachan, Programme Director of Born in Bradford attended the meeting and referred to the impact of air quality on the health of residents of the district and in particular the elderly and young people.  She added that many of the effects of unsafe levels of air quality were felt most in disadvantaged communities.  She went on to say that the Born in Bradford research project, monitoring over 12,500 families and children the oldest of which were now 13, had provided data that poor air quality was associated with lower birth rates and increased levels of respiratory disease.  She added that there was clear evidence that if the air quality in the district was improved, the health and economy of the district would improve and the burden on health services would reduce.

 

On behalf of the Strategic Director Health and Wellbeing the Programme Manager, Bradford clean Air Plan advised members that the Clean Air Zone would be implemented on 5 January 2022 and would impact all vehicle types except passenger cars.  The plan will improve air quality in all wards but in key locations will improve air quality by 35% and will benefit greenhouse gas emissions.  He added that Ministers from DEFRA and the DfT had approved the plan total funding of £39.3m which was the highest level yet seen for a CAZ.  A grants package of £31m would support all businesses up to SME level to adjust to the CAZ and an exemptions package of £10m funding support would be available.  There would be a dedicated website on which a vehicle checker could be accessed and payments could be made on line.  A major publicity campaign was planned.  Born in Bradford had been awarded £1.1m health funding to monitor the health impacts of the CAP.  It had been recognised by government as a project of national significance.

 

The Programme Director of Born in Bradford explained that they would work with the CAP team to track the health impact of the CAZ in the district on lung and heart health, children’s health, respiratory and lung disease.  Work was being undertaken with 12 primary schools training year 5 and 6 pupils to be citizen scientists carrying mobile light weight  ...  view the full minutes text for item 220.

221.

A NEW TEN-YEAR CULTURAL STRATEGY FOR THE DISTRICT pdf icon PDF 159 KB

Culture will make a significant and sustainable contribution to the future prosperity of our District as we recover and strive to level up.

 

In September 2019, the Executive supported a package of strategic investments in culture, one of which was to request that the independent Bradford Cultural Place Partnership lead on the creation of a new sector and community-led 10-year cultural strategy for the district.

 

The report of the Strategic Director of Place (Document “DO”) brings the outcome of this work back to Bradford Council and recommends that the Executive approves the vision, ambitions and practice of Culture is Our Plan to replace its existing cultural strategy.

 

Recommended -

 

(1)       That Executive acknowledges the work of the Cultural Place Partnership and the cultural sector across the district in developing Culture is our Plan

 

(2)       That Executive approves Culture is our Plan as the new ten-year cultural strategy for Bradford District and encourages its wider adoption by partners across the District.

 

Regeneration & Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee)

                                                (Nicola Greenan - 01274 431301)

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

 

In September 2019, the Executive supported a package of strategic investments in culture, one of which was to request that the independent Bradford Cultural Place Partnership lead on the creation of a new sector and community-led 10-year cultural strategy for the district.

 

Culture would make a significant and sustainable contribution to the future prosperity of our District as we recover and strive to level up.

 

The report of the Strategic Director of Place (Document “DO”) brought the outcome of this work back to Bradford Council and recommended that the Executive approve the vision, ambitions and practice of Culture is Our Plan to replace its existing cultural strategy.  It was emphasised that it was essential that the strategy was agile and reflected the cultural differences of the district.  

 

The Creative Director of Kala Sangam and Chair of Cultural Voice Forum attended the meeting and advised members that the views and ideas of the district’s cultural sector were at the heart of the development of the strategy.  It was noted that the strategy set ambitious goals and would deliver real change to people across the district and change the makeup of the cultural sector to reflect the diversity of the district.

 

The Chair of Ilkley Manor House Trust and Ilkley Arts attended the meeting and welcomed the opportunity for Ilkley to play an active role in the short, focussed consultation.  There had been a strong encouragement for cultural partnerships to work in a more collaborative way; to make better use of resources and to develop a broader use of provision leaning from others.  It was noted that the Ilkley cultural co-operative had come together productively and creatively as an informal group during the Covid pandemic and was made up of a number of cultural and heritage organisations.  The group was used as a platform for the consultation and it was hoped would be a platform for the roll out of the strategy and the City of Culture bid.

 

The  Chair of Bradford bid to be UK City of Culture attended the meeting and emphasised the need to have a cultural strategy to support the City of Culture bid.  Having a strategic plan enabled partners to access regional and national funding.  The Covid pandemic, Black Lives Matter movement and the climate emergency had highlighted the need for a strategy and a plan.  The City of Culture designation would give the district a significant national and international platform and forge new national and international links and cultural opportunities.

 

The Healthy People and Places Portfolio Holder thanked officers and partners for their contributions to the strategy and noted the positive benefits of culture for the district in the current lock down.  She noted the vibrant, dynamic and energised cultural sector in the district.  She added that the strategy played an important role in creating job and skills opportunities.  She commented on the health benefits improving mental health and as a consequence physical health.

 

The Leader of the Opposition group welcomed the strategy.  She  ...  view the full minutes text for item 221.

EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND SKILLS PORTFOLIO & DEPUTY LEADER

(Councillor I Khan)

222.

ENSURING THE SUFFICIENCY OF SPECIALIST PLACES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITIES (SEND) ACROSS THE DISTRICT pdf icon PDF 200 KB

The report of the Strategic Director of Children’s Services(Document “DP) asks the Executive to approve the reutilisation of the District Pupil Referral Unit (DPRU) premises, to enable specialist provision to be increased across the District, in line with the SEND Sufficiency Strategy

 

 

Recommended -

 

That the Executive approve the reutilisation of the District Pupil Referral Unit premises, to enable specialist provision to be increased across the District, in line with the SEND Sufficiency Strategy.

 

 

(Children’s Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee)

                                                (Marium Haque - 01274 431078)

Minutes:

The report of the Strategic Director of Children’s Services(Document “DP) asked the Executive to approve the reutilisation of the District Pupil Referral Unit (DPRU) premises at Anerley Street, Bradford, to enable specialist provision to be increased across the District, in line with the SEND Sufficiency Strategy.

 

Resolved -

 

That the reutilisation of the District Pupil Referral Unit premises, to enable specialist provision to be increased across the District, in line with the SEND Sufficiency Strategy be approved.

 

 

Children’s Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee

ACTION: Strategic Director of Children’s Services

LEADER OF COUNCIL & CORPORATE

(Councillor Hinchcliffe)

223.

WEST YORKSHIRE DEVOLUTION pdf icon PDF 99 KB

 

 

 

NOTE: EXCEPTION TO THE FORWARD PLAN

 

The report on West Yorkshire Devolution (Document “DQ”) has not been included on the published Forward Plan as an issue for consideration owing to the receipt of the Protocol from the MCA on 7th February with a request for it to be considered by Constituent Councils in March. Although not legally binding it will apply to the exercise of functions by the MCA. As it is impractical to defer the decision until it has been included in the published Forward Plan the report is submitted in accordance with paragraph 10 of the Executive Procedure Rules set out in the Council’s Constitution.

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


On 11 March 2020, the Chancellor announced a “minded to” Mayoral Devolution Deal for the West Yorkshire area. A report submitted to Executive on 24 March outlined the details of the devolution deal, its benefits for Bradford District, its people and its businesses and set out the required next steps.

 

The proposed changes to the governance arrangements required for implementation of the deal were reported to Executive on 19 May.

Subsequently, decisions were made which:

- endorsed the “minded to” deal on behalf of Bradford District,

- approved a statutory review to be undertaken jointly with the other West      Yorkshire Councils and the Combined Authority,

- provided for a draft Governance scheme to be consulted on in June and July 2020,

- agreed to submit a summary of the responses to the Secretary of State for Communities,

- agreed in principle to the draft Order to establish a mayoral combined authority,

- delegated authority to the Managing Director of the Combined Authority, in consultation  with the Leader and Chief Executive of CBMDC and the other Constituent Councils and the Chair of the Combined Authority, to finalise and consent to the final draft of the Order.

 

The statutory instrument to establish the mayoral combined authority was approved on 29th January 2021. The report of the Chief Executive

(Document “DQ”) concerns the Protocol to be agreed by the Combined Authority and the Constituent Councils regarding the exercise of concurrent functions and statutory consents.

 

 

Recommended -

 

Executive is requested to:

 

(1)          Consider the draft Protocol on Concurrent Functions and Associated Statutory Consents attached as Appendix 1 to Document DQ, and either agree it as drafted or seek the amendments suggested or other amendments;

 

(2)          Delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, to agree any subsequent changes to the Protocol.

 

 (Corporate Overview & Scrutiny Committee)

                                                (Michael Bowness - 07582 103658)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

It was noted that the following report had not been included on the published Forward Plan as an issue for consideration owing to the receipt of the Protocol from the Mayoral Combined Authority on 7th February with a request for it to be considered by Constituent Councils in March. Although not legally binding it would apply to the exercise of functions by the MCA. As it was impractical to defer the decision until it has been included in the published Forward Plan the report was submitted in accordance with paragraph 10 of the Executive Procedure Rules set out in the Council’s Constitution.

 

Members were advised that on 11 March 2020, the Chancellor announced a “minded to” Mayoral Devolution Deal for the West Yorkshire area. A report submitted to Executive on 24 March outlined the details of the devolution deal, its benefits for Bradford District, its people and its businesses and set out the required next steps.

 

The proposed changes to the governance arrangements required for implementation of the deal were reported to Executive on 19 May.

Subsequently, decisions were made which:

- endorsed the “minded to” deal on behalf of Bradford District,

- approved a statutory review to be undertaken jointly with the other West Yorkshire Councils and the Combined Authority,

- provided for a draft Governance scheme to be consulted on in June and July 2020,

- agreed to submit a summary of the responses to the Secretary of State for Communities,

- agreed in principle to the draft Order to establish a mayoral combined authority,

- delegated authority to the Managing Director of the Combined Authority, in consultation  with the Leader and Chief Executive of CBMDC and the other Constituent Councils and the Chair of the Combined Authority, to finalise and consent to the final draft of the Order.

 

The statutory instrument to establish the mayoral combined authority was approved on 29th January 2021. The report of the Chief Executive

(Document “DQ”) concerned the Protocol to be agreed by the Combined Authority and the Constituent Councils regarding the exercise of concurrent functions and statutory consents.

 

The City Solicitor advised members that under the 2021 Order, there was 

 

·         no transfer of any Concurrent Function to the MCA from any Constituent Council; each Constituent Council may continue to exercise any Concurrent Function in relation to its area,

·         no requirement for the joint exercise of any Concurrent Function by the Combined Authority with Constituent Councils – that is, that they are not required to act together, and

·         no requirement for a Constituent Council to involve, consult or seek the consent of the Combined Authority in relation to the exercise of any Concurrent Function by a Constituent Council.

 

 The Protocol sought to establish the rules under which the MCA will exercise

 concurrent powers and seek statutory consents. It dealt with the period

 of notice to be given to Constituent Councils prior to their exercise by the

 MCA. Appendix 1 to Document “DQ” was the latest MCA officer  ...  view the full minutes text for item 223.

224.

PROPOSED INVESTMENTS UTILISING COVID GRANT pdf icon PDF 153 KB

The Director of Finance will submit a report (Document “DR”) which provides Members with a number of new recommended investments to help respond and recover from the Covid Pandemic. Funding for the new investments will derive from Government provided Covid related grants.

 

Recommended –

 

(1)       Note the contents of this report

 

(2)       Approve the £4.0m of continued investment in priority areas as outlined in section 2 to Document “DR”, to be funded from available Covid related grant monies.

 

(3)       Resolve that this decision is exempt from ‘call-in’ on the grounds of urgency, for the reasons set out in paragraph 1.5 to Document “DR”.

 

Overview and Scrutiny Committee: Corporate

 

(Andrew Cross - 07870 386523)

 

 

 

Minutes:

It was noted that the following report had not been included on the published Forward Plan as an issue for consideration owing to the need first to ensure approval of the Council’s Budget as the overriding priority. Now that had been achieved attention could be given to consideration of how Covid 19 funding from Government could be allocated to meet needs in the District. Decisions needed to be taken at this meeting to ensure that preparations for the spending could be made as soon as possible. As it was impractical to defer the decision until it has been included in the published Forward Plan the report was submitted in accordance with paragraph 11 of the Executive Procedure Rules set out in the Council’s Constitution.

 

The Director of Finance submitted a report (Document “DR”) which provided Members with a number of new recommended investments to help respond and recover from the Covid Pandemic. Funding for the new investments would derive from Government provided Covid related grants.

 

He advised members that the proposed investments were targeted at protecting the vulnerable and keeping essential services going and were one off time limited grants.  He noted that approximately £2m Covid grants would be unallocated and would be used to address future needs.  He explained that all Covid expenditure, income losses by the Council and all Covid funding received had been reported in the quarterly monitor reports and that an update would be provided in the next month.

 

The Children and Families Portfolio Holder noted that there had been a record demand in the Children’s Social Care front door with  900 contacts per week in the last year.  He added that the investment outlined in the report would increase capacity in the system.  The Leader noted the unseen cost of the pandemic in increasing demand on Children’s Services.

 

The Healthy People and Places Portfolio Holder welcomed the investment in supporting mental health and wellbeing which would have a positive impact on people experiencing isolation during lockdown.

 

In response to a question from a member of the opposition group the Director of Finance stated that it was difficult to forecast how long the Council would feel the financial impact of Covid and that current the forecast was that Covid would continue and have some impact on finances until the end of June 2021.  He added that the Council had taken some decisions to fund in advance of grant being received and in some cases funding had been received in advance of its allocation.  He stated that an assumption had been made that all funding from Government would be utilised and this would leave £2m surplus grant which would be kept constantly under review.

 

It was noted that a response would be provided by the Education, Employment and Skills Portfolio Holder to the question from the member of the opposition group seeking clarification regarding enhancing the school food parcels going out to children on Free School Meals during COVID.

 

 

Resolved –

 

(1)       That the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 224.