No disclosures of interest in matters under consideration were received. 

Recommended –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 6 October 2016 be signed as a correct record (previously circulated).

(Claire Tomenson – 01274 432457)

Resolved –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 6 October 2016 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. 

(Claire Tomenson - 01274 432457)

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

Any referrals that have been made to this Committee up to and including the date of publication of this agenda will be reported at the meeting.

No referrals had been submitted to the Committee.

The Strategic Director, Regeneration will present Document “U” which provides an update on the effectiveness and practicality issues of the 12 month trial ban on pavement obstructions in Bradford City Centre, Saltaire, Ilkley and on A647 Leeds Road between Thornbury Gyratory and Bradford City Centre.  

Recommended –

(1)  That the Committee recommend to Executive that:

a)            Following completion of the trial ban of advertising boards Executive approve the formalisation of the ban within urban centres of the district only.  Transport corridors between the urban centres will remain outside the ban but subject to the Council’s existing Code of Practice requirements for the placement of advertising boards.

b)            That a trial of the Instaplanta scheme is approved within district centres as an alternative means of supporting businesses affected by the loss of advertising boards.

c)            A further approach is made to all businesses within the trial zones to seek information in relation to the impact of the ban on trading levels prior to Executive’s consideration of the ultimate approach.

(2)  That the Strategic Director, Regeneration contact the lead petitioners for the three petitions related to the trial ban to advise them of this Committee’s recommendation to Executive.

(Richard Gelder – 01274 437603)

The Highways Services Manager presented Document “U” which provided an update on the effectiveness and practicality issues of the 12 month trial ban on pavement obstructions in Bradford City Centre, Saltaire, Ilkley and on A647 Leeds Road between Thornbury Gyratory and Bradford City Centre.  The report also considered three petitions, two against and one in support of the ban, which had been received.  Members were informed that following the implementation of the ban in January 2016, Council wardens had attended training sessions to increase their awareness of the difficulties faced by visually impaired people and find out how the ban would operate.  The trial ban had commenced in the City Centre on 4 January 2016 and had then been rolled out to Ilkley, Saltaire and the Leeds Road corridor.  The Highways Services Manager reported that enforcement visits had been undertaken during the past eleven months and any ‘A’ boards that had been present after being given a warning notice had been removed to Council depots for temporary storage.  He explained that the Council wardens had undertaken an audit prior to the implementation of the ban and 120 ‘A’ boards had been found in the City Centre, 132 in Ilkley, 47 in Saltaire and 17 along the Leeds Road corridor.  The first phase of the enforcement had resulted in a total of  42 ‘A’ boards being removed, 21% of those had been issued a notice in the City Centre and 70% on the Leeds Road corridor.  The second phase had commenced in May 2016 where 69 notices had been issued and the subsequent enforcement had resulted in only 17 ‘A’ boards being removed from all locations.  A total of 11 boards had been removed during the third and final phase demonstrating a high level of compliance in all areas, although it had been noted that as the trial was nearing the end of the 12 month period the number of boards which had been found had started to increase slightly. 

The Highways Services Manager stated that one of the difficulties found with the trial had been the availability and accuracy of adopted highway records.  He explained that the graphical information system (GIS) had not been available to wardens on patrol and the Council’s records had not been as accurate in Ilkley. 

With regard to alternative advertising options, the Highways Services Manager reported that publications such as the Council’s Shop Front Design Guide provided information on possible alternative approaches and details of how to access this guidance, amongst other sources, had been included in the letter circulated to businesses.  He informed Members of an alternative scheme that was operated in Kirklees by a company called Instaplanta that provided advertising space via a fixed wooden planter.  There was a small annual fee for businesses wishing to advertise on the facility but this covered the planting and maintenance for the year, so there was no cost to the Council. 

Members were informed that the enforcement of the ban had not been equitably applied in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54.

The City Solicitor will provide a verbal update on the Committee’s work programme 2016/17.

(Caroline Coombes – 01274 432313)

The Overview and Scrutiny Lead provided an update on the Committee’s work programme 2016/17.

Resolved –

That the Work Programme 2016/17 be noted.

ACTION: Overview and Scrutiny Lead