Local democracy

Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - Keighley Town Hall. View directions

Contact: Jane Lythgow 

Items
No. Item

27.

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:

Councillor Farley disclosed, in the interest of transparency, that he was a Magistrate on the West Yorkshire Bench with regard to Minute 33 and could be involved with enforcement and prosecution in court.  .

28.

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. 

 

(Jane Lythgow - 01274 432270)

 

Minutes:

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

 

29.

PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

(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 20 November 2018.

 

(Jane Lythgow - 01274 432270)

 

Minutes:

There were no questions submitted by the public.

 

30.

3 SOUTHFIELD TERRACE, ADDINGHAM - OBJECTIONS RECEIVED TO A REQUEST FOR A DISABLED PERSONS PARKING PLACE pdf icon PDF 79 KB

The Strategic Director, Place, will present a report, (Document “L”) which considers an application for a Disabled Persons Parking Place at 3 Southfield Terrace, Addingham.   There have been four objections received to the request which are outlined in the report.

 

Recommended –

 

1.    That the application for the installation of a Disabled Persons Parking Place at 3 Southfield Terrace, Addingham, be approved.

 

2.    That the Principal Engineer be authorised to remove the Disabled Persons Parking Place if it is observed that the applicant is parked on Southfield Terrace but not wholly within the bay provided without reason.

 

3.    That the applicant be informed accordingly.

 

(Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

(Simon D’Vali – 01274 431000)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Strategic Director, Place, presented a report, (Document “L”) which considered an application for a Disabled Persons Parking Place at 3 Southfield Terrace, Addingham.  

 

Members were informed that there had been four objections received regarding the application.  The representations together with corresponding officer comments were outlined in Document “L”.

 

The applicant’s wife addressed the meeting and explained that the application had been made because the parking space outside of their house was limited and they were unable to park their vehicle outside of their home.  Her husband was a blue badge holder and struggled with mobility.  The couple had been forced to park elsewhere because of difficulty accessing the space outside of their home.  It was explained that they had been unaware that the disabled parking space would encroach on the area outside of their neighbours’ homes.  Members were advised that since the representations had been made some of the neighbours had moved and the new occupants of that property had no objection to the application.

 

The representations referred to concerns that the applicant would not use a disabled parking space and would continue to park elsewhere.  In response to questions about the representations the applicant assured Members that the disabled parking space would be utilised.

 

Members questioned how the situation would be monitored and they were advised that the Neighbourhood Wardens would observe the situation.  It was also expected that if the space was not used occupants of neighbouring properties would alert the wardens to the situation.  In response to questions it was confirmed that the Strategic Director, Place, did have the powers to remove the disabled parking place.

 

Resolved –

 

1.    That the application for the installation of a Disabled Persons Parking Place at 3 Southfield Terrace, Addingham, be approved.

 

2.    That the Principal Engineer be authorised to remove the Disabled Persons Parking Place if it is observed that the applicant is parked on Southfield Terrace but not wholly within the bay provided without reason.

 

3.    That the applicant be informed accordingly.

 

ACTION: Strategic Director Place

(Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

 

31.

LOCAL HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE - DEVOLUTION UPDATE AND FUNCTION OVERVIEW pdf icon PDF 255 KB

Previous reference: Minute 26 (2017/18)

 

The Strategic Director, Place, will represent a report (Document “M”) which details how the Planning, Transportation and Highways Service currently manages the Local Highway Maintenance (LHM) function and allocates resources.

 

The report also provides an update on current operations being undertaken on the network and the indicative costs of works undertaken in the current financial year.

 

Recommended –

 

(1)       That the current operational methods adopted for Local Highway Maintenance be noted.

(2)       That the costs to date for the 2018/19 financial year be noted.

(3)       That the 2017/18 updated list of CAT3 works as shown in Appendix 5 to Document “M” be noted.

(4)       That the list of completed and ordered CAT3 works for 2018/19 as shown in Appendix 6 to Document “M” be noted.

(5)       That the details of gullies cleaned within the constituency as shown in Appendix 7 to Document “M” be  noted.

(Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

(Andy Fisher – 01535 618297)

Minutes:

The Strategic Director, Place, presented a report (Document “M”) which detailed how the Planning, Transportation and Highways Service currently managed the Local Highway Maintenance (LHM) function and allocated resources.

 

The report also provided an update on current operations being undertaken on the network and the indicative costs of works undertaken in the current financial year.

 

Members were aware that where repairs to the highway were required they were categorised, depending upon the severity of the issue, into one of three categories (CAT1, CAT2 or CAT3). Each category had a target repair time which had been agreed with the Council’s Insurers. A definition of the categories and repair times was provided. 

 

Appended to Document M” were the following details:-

 

·         Work Undertaken as Part of the LHM Function

·         A Technical Staff Overview

·         An Operational Staff Overview

·         CAT1 and 2 Works Update

·         Updated 2017/18 CAT 3 Works List

·         Current CAT3 Works List 2018/19 (completed and ordered)

·         Completed Gully Cleaning in the Keighley Constituency

 

The funding available for pothole repairs was questioned and Members were advised that the figure for the district was £890,000 which resulted in £178,000 being available for each constituency.  It was confirmed that the majority of the funds for the Keighley constituency had been utilised and it was hoped that all the repairs would be completed before the winter period.

 

Members queried if the overall budget for Local Highway Maintenance for 2018/2019 of £330,131 included capital funding from the Department for Transport (Dft).  It was confirmed that this was not the case.  It was explained that the revenue budget had reduced annually as budgets were cut.  There were areas of work within the service which were giving rise to a projected revenue overspend for the year including Local Highway Maintenance and street lighting energy supply.  It was agreed that a briefing note be sent to Members detailing Dft Pothole Action Fund spend in the constituency and a breakdown of Local Highway Maintenance costs to date.

 

It was noted that some locations on the appendices attached to Document “M” had been categorised in the wrong ward.  It was agreed to provide the correct ward details for the schemes listed on P24 as Main Road and on Page 31 as High Street to the Keighley East Ward Members.  .

 

Resolved –

 

(1)       That the current operational methods adopted for Local Highway Maintenance be noted.

(2)       That the costs to date for the 2018/19 financial year be noted.

(3)       That the 2017/18 updated list of CAT3 works as shown in Appendix 5 to Document “M” be noted.

(4)       That the list of completed and ordered CAT3 works for 2018/19 as shown in Appendix 6 to Document “M” be noted.

(5)       That the details of gullies cleaned within the constituency as shown in Appendix 7 to Document “M” be noted.

ACTION: Strategic Director Place

(Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

 

32.

PARKS AND GREEN SPACES SERVICE ANNUAL REPORT pdf icon PDF 106 KB

Previous reference: Minute 19 (2017/18)

 

The Strategic Director, Place, will present the annual report for the devolved Parks and Green Spaces Service (Document “N”).  The report reviews activity during the past year and also considers the significant issues and proposed management structural changes that will have an effect over the coming 12 months with options where available for future service delivery, investment and savings.

 

Recommended –

 

That the report be noted and the planned  merger of the Cleansing Service be welcomed.

 

(Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

(Ian Wood – 01274 432648)

 

Minutes:

The Strategic Director, Place, presented the annual report for the devolved Parks and Green Spaces Service (Document “N”).  The report reviewed activity during the past year and also considered the significant issues and proposed management structural changes that would have an effect over the coming 12 months with options where available for future service delivery, investment and savings.

 

The managed facilities in Keighley and district were reported together with the current managerial structure and details of an operational depot review in 2018. New projects which had been successfully delivered in the last 12 months were reported together with future events planned.

 

It was explained that following a planned move for the service to the Neighbourhood and Customer Services there would be some operational and structural changes to consider.  A planned merger of the Parks and Cleansing services would take place which would positively create a larger more resilient workforce and would allow greater flexibility across the service.  A management restructure would also take place and see the creation of five new Parks and Street Cleansing Manager roles that would be responsible for the combined service and report directly to Area Co-ordinators.  There would also be a post of a senior Parks and Green Spaces Manager based at a more strategic level and reporting to the Shipley Area Co-ordinator.  It was anticipated that the proposed new structure would be implemented early in the New Year.

 

Members questioned the current situation at Devonshire Park, Keighley, and it was explained that the park was an arboretum containing some of the finest trees in the district.  The trees did, however, have low hanging branches which restricted visibility in some areas.  The warden service patrolled the area regularly and no major accounts of drug use or drug paraphernalia had been reported in the park. No reports of rubbish bins or benches being burnt had been reported although some trees had been burnt during the hot summer months.

 

There had been some criticism that there was nowhere for children to play in the park.  In a bid to increase visibility and access some shrubs around play areas had been removed.  It was explained that the lifting/removal of any further trees to increase access would destroy those trees. The Friends of Devonshire Park had worked with the Council in the area and Wardens patrolled to deter anti social behaviour.

 

Delays to the drainage of the rugby pitch at Silsden Park were queried.  In response Members were advised that the drainage was being conducted over an 18 month programme.  A new drainage system had now been installed and grass seeded with sand banding carried out.  The field would be allowed to grow throughout the summer ready for the commencement of the rugby season in August.

 

Reports of water in an open drain in fields opposite the pitch were raised and concern that this would become a bog in the winter was expressed.  In response it was explained that the area used to slope and had been  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.

33.

STREET CLEANSING, ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT AND COUNCIL WARDENS SERVICE pdf icon PDF 379 KB

Previous reference: Minute 20 (2017/18)

 

The report of the Strategic Director, Place, (Document “O”) updates Members on future changes to Street Cleansing, Parks, Environmental Enforcement and Warden Services.  The report also provides an update on performance and information on current and planned initiatives and the merger of the Parks Service into Neighbourhood and Customer Services.

 

Recommended –

 

1.    That the information contained in Document “O” be noted and welcomed.

 

2.    That the Strategic Director, Place, be requested to present a further report, in 2019, outlining a new operational model for the service based on constituency working.

 

(Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee/ Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

(Damian Fisher - 01274 437146 / Louise Williams – 01274 431066)

 

Minutes:

The report of the Strategic Director, Place, (Document “O”) updated Members on future changes to Street Cleansing, Parks, Environmental Enforcement and Warden Services.  The report also provided an update on performance and information on current and planned initiatives and the merger of the Parks Service into Neighbourhood and Customer Services.

 

Document “O” reminded Members of the Street Cleansing Services requirement to deliver a 25% reduction in its budget for the year 2019/20.  The removal of £1m from the budget meant there had to be significant redesign of how the service was operated.  It was also intended to merge Street Cleansing with the Parks Service to ensure greater efficiency between the two services.

 

The transformation covered three distinct changes:

 

·      ‘Lift & shift’ merger of Parks and Landscapes operation to Neighbourhood Services and a joined management structure for Street Cleansing and Parks

·      Separation of Council Wardens into two distinct roles – civil enforcement and community engagement/environmental enforcement

·      Reduction of Street Cleansing resources. Specifically  the loss of 25 frontline staff and 5 mechanical sweepers

 

Negotiations were being conducted with the trade unions regarding assimilation of staff into the new structure. It was intended that the frontline parks staff would move into Neighbourhoods in April 2019. Whilst new operational arrangements in Street Cleansing were bedded in Area Coordinators would need to assess the parks operation in detail and how both operations could link together in the future. This was estimated to take a year including assessments of all current operations, roles, synergies, responsibilities, locations and any joined up working.

 

Document “O” reported changes to the Warden Services and whilst numbers would remain the same two different types of wardens would be created.  The wardens would be known as Council Wardens and Neighbourhood Wardens.  Their distinct roles, with Council Wardens acting as Civil Enforcement Officers and Neighbourhood Wardens focusing on environmental education and enforcement based in area teams, was explained in detail.

 

Operational changes to Street Cleansing within the district were reported and would create 23 new gateway routes that would cover busy gateway and arterial routes.  It was estimated that those prescribed routes would last two to three hours and require crews to start earlier at 6.00am.  Upon completion of those routes crews would be deployed in their constituency areas.  Due to the reduction in staff numbers it was felt that maintaining consistent ward based teams was not seen as viable. 

 

Following a very detailed presentation Members raised a number of issues including:-

 

·         An increase in re-active wardens was welcomed.

·         It was not felt that concentrating on street cleansing routes was always the best method.

·         The Keighley constituency contained three substantial centres and this should be taken account with regard to operational changes to the street cleansing routes.

 

A Member referred to data contained in Document “O” which suggested that less tonnage was being collected from fly tipping.  He questioned if that was because less rubbish was actually tipped.  In response it was explained that the data he referred to was a record  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.

34.

COMMUNITY BUILDING GRANTS pdf icon PDF 142 KB

Previous reference: Minute  13 (2017/18)

 

The report of the Strategic Director, Place, (Document “P”) sets out the Community Building Grants allocation process.  Community Building Grants are for Voluntary and Community Sector organisations to support them in meeting their associated building costs.

 

Recommended –

 

1)    That the proposed allocation process for Community Building Grants outlined in Document “P” be noted. 

 

2)    The Keighley Area Coordinator be requested to organise meetings of the Area Committee’s Grant Advisory Group to consider Community Building Grant applications for funding from groups within the Keighley Area.  

 

3)    That the Keighley  Area Coordinator be requested to provide a further report to a meeting within the 2018-19 municipal year, with recommendations from the Grant Advisory Group on how to allocate the Community Building Grants funds available. 

 

(Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

(Mahmood Mohammed – 01274 437467)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Strategic Director, Place, (Document “P”) set out the Community Building Grants allocation process.  Community Building Grants were for Voluntary and Community Sector organisations to support them in meeting their associated building costs.

 

Document “P” reminded Members that, as part of the budget decision on the 25th February 2016, Bradford Council approved plans to remove or reduce:

 

a)    Rent subsidies provided to VCS organisations

b)    Community development grants

c)    Discretionary business rate relief to not for profit organisations

 

A review group had concluded that the best way forward was to combine all remaining resources from Neighbourhood and Customer Services and Regeneration and establish a single process, based on an extended core costs model used with the VCS groups for 2015-17. The proposal merged the remaining support available into one Community Building Grant and devolved the decision making to Area Committees in order to increase fairness, transparency and accountability.

 

Members were reminded that the process for allocation had been agreed two years previously and a flow chart explaining the procedure was appended to the report.  The deadline for completed applications was shown as 3 January 2019, however, the Area Co-ordinator reported his intention to extend that deadline to provide applicants with additional time after the Christmas period to apply.  It was explained that completed applications must be received in time for the Grants Advisory Group to make its recommendations before 28 February 2019.  In response to questions it was confirmed that application packs would be despatched to applicants no later than 10 December 2018. 

 

It was questioned if groups registering as a charity would receive a reduction in business rates but that information was not available at the meeting. 

 

A Member questioned if the reductions in support had resulted in groups generating income and it was confirmed that some groups had generated income but it was not known if that was in response to reductions in support.

 

Resolved –

 

1)    That the proposed allocation process for Community Building Grants outlined in Document “P” be noted. 

 

2)    The Keighley Area Coordinator be requested to organise meetings of the Area Committee’s Grant Advisory Group to consider Community Building Grant applications for funding from groups within the Keighley Area.  

 

3)    That the Keighley  Area Coordinator be requested to provide a further report to a meeting within the 2018-19 municipal year, with recommendations from the Grant Advisory Group on how to allocate the Community Building Grants funds available. 

 

ACTION: Strategic Director Place

(Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

 

35.

KEIGHLEY AREA WARD PLANS 2018-19 UPDATE pdf icon PDF 849 KB

Previous reference: Minute 44 (2017/2018)

 

The report of the Strategic Director, Place, (Document “Q”) outlines the work of the Keighley Area Co-ordinator’s Office in the period April to September 2018 to support ward priorities contained within the Keighley Area Ward Plans 2018-19. 

 

Recommended –

 

That the work of the Keighley Area Co-ordinator’s Office in the period April to September 2018 to support ward priorities within the Keighley Area Ward Plans 2018-19 be noted.

 

(Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

(Jonathan Hayes – 01535 618008)

Minutes:

The report of the Strategic Director, Place, (Document “Q”) outlined the work of the Keighley Area Co-ordinator’s Office in the period April to September 2018 to support ward priorities contained within the Keighley Area Ward Plans 2018-19. 

 

It was explained that appended to the report were highlighted selected pieces of work which reflected the types of activities and actions undertaken between April to September 2018, within Wards that had contributed to addressing the priorities within the Keighley Area Ward Plans 2018-19. They were not an exhaustive list of actions but were intended to provide a flavour of the nature of activities that had been undertaken.  Members were assured that a full progress report of the Ward Plans would be provided and that they would receive copies of that report.

 

The Strategic Director, Place, thanked the Ward officers and expressed his appreciation of their hard work. 

 

The report outlined the role of Council Wardens which included supporting community engagement and their work during Days of Action, Street Surgeries and work with schools and individual local residents.   It was explained that those actions were in addition to their duties for Parking and Environmental Enforcement.  In response to questions Members were advised that the street surgeries were a joint initiative with West Yorkshire Police.  Analysis had concluded that using the same format in all locations was not the best approach.  In most areas the school gate surgeries worked well but the walkabout sessions were not as successful.  The Ward Officers had agreed to utilise  the most appropriate method in each area.  A Member suggested that Wardens participate in the walkabout sessions undertaken by Incommunities. The potential to invite Members to become involved was also proposed.

 

The appendix to Document “Q” detailed summer activities undertaken at Riverside Gardens, Ilkley.  A Member representing the Ilkley Ward expressed his appreciation for the involvement of the Youth Service in that initiative.

 

Members thanked all the Neighbourhood Officers for their support to achieve the outcomes contained in the Ward Plans.

 

Resolved –

 

That the work of the Keighley Area Co-ordinator’s Office in the period April to September 2018 to support ward priorities within the Keighley Area Ward Plans 2018-19 be noted.

 

ACTION: Strategic Director Place

(Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

 

36.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES, APRIL - SEPTEMBER 2018 pdf icon PDF 163 KB

Previous reference: Minute 45 (2017/18)

 

The Strategic Director, Place, will present a report, (Document “R”) which informs Members of community engagement activities undertaken by Keighley Area Co-ordinator’s during April to September 2018.

 

Recommended –

 

That the constructive engagement with a wide range of the public undertaken through community engagement activities by Keighley Area Co-ordinator’s Office in the period April to September 2018 be noted.

 

(Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

(Jonathan Hayes – 01353 618008)

 

 

Minutes:

The Strategic Director, Place, presented a report, (Document “R”) which informed Members of community engagement activities undertaken by Keighley Area Co-ordinator’s during April to September 2018.

 

The report revealed that work was undertaken with elected Members to organise and develop varied ways of engaging with the public that were appropriate to the Wards they represented.  In response to questions it was confirmed that all areas had reduced the number of Neighbourhood Forums held, however, public meetings or forums would be scheduled if it was felt they would attract sufficient interest of if there was an issue which needed to be discussed in that way.

 

The Area Co-ordinator expressed his thanks to Ward Officers and partners for their engagement with the public.

 

Resolved –

 

That the constructive engagement with a wide range of the public undertaken through community engagement activities by Keighley Area Co-ordinator’s Office in the period April to September 2018 be noted.

 

ACTION: Strategic Director Place

(Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee)