To appoint a Chair for the Municipal Year 2023-2024.

Resolved –

That Councillor Firth be appointed Chair of Keighley Area Committee for the municipal year 2023/2024.

Action: Director of Legal and Governance

To appoint a Deputy Chair for the Municipal Year 2023-2024.

Resolved –

That Councillor Whitaker be appointed Deputy Chair of Keighley Area Committee for the 2023/2024 municipal year.

Action: Director of Legal and Governance

(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.

In the interests of clarity and in relation to Minute 7 (objection to proposed speed limit reduction at Oldfield Lane) Councillor Brown disclosed that he had previously lived in that area.

In relation to Minute 9, grant allocations, and in the interests of clarity, the following disclosures were made:

·         Councillor Firth declared that she was a Committee Member of Hainworth Wood Community Centre;

·         Councillor Zaman reported that he was a Director of Highfield Community Centre; 

·         Councillor Whitaker disclosed that she was a volunteer for Friends of Silsden Town Hall;

·         Councillor Brown disclosed that he had been a Member of the Grants Advisory Group and that he held a non-remunerated role on a group which may be in receipt of a grant;

·         Councillor Hussain reported that he had been a Member of the Grant Advisory Group.

Action: Director of Legal and Governance

Recommended –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 16 March 2023 be signed as a correct record (previously circulated).

(Jane Lythgow – 01274 432270)

Resolved –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 16 March 2023 be signed as a correct record.

Action; Director of Legal and Governance

(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)

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

(Access to Information Procedure Rules – Part 3B of the Constitution)

To hear questions from electors within the District on any matter that is the responsibility of the Committee. 

Questions must be received in writing by the Director of Legal and Governance in Room 112, City Hall, Bradford, BD1 1HY, by mid-day on Friday 23 June 2023.

(Jane Lythgow – 01274 432270)

In accordance with the provision at Part 3B, Paragraph 6 of the Council’s Constitution the following public question, received from a local resident, was presented:

“I wrote initially to the council in May 2022 about the speeding traffic through East Morton.  I was not able to get to ask my question till September 2022.  Since then, suggestions by myself for ‘easy wins’ to improve communication of the speed limit has been undertaken by Highways.  More roundels, road markings replaced since the road resurfacing, correct road markings replacing incorrect ones, trees cut back from signs etc etc .  This is general highway maintenance, but as PCSO Montgomery will verify, it has had no impact on the speed of traffic through the village.  One of his traffic monitoring hours counted 80 cars with 68 speeding. The route is now being used – apparently temporarily – by at least 4 companies who are transporting rubble in huge HGVs through the village and back again.  One resident counted 150 coming and going in one day.  The vast majority are not keeping to the 20mph limit and it is frightening to hear them through the street.  Mr D’Vali’s response to my last question was that.

“The Council has previously tried to install traffic calming through East Morton Village on two separate occasions.  Both attempts failed through lack of public support.  Whilst there was clearly some strong support, it wasn’t enough to see this through a governance process.  The Highways department will however, review the existing arrangement and engage in further discussions with elected members to see if there is broad support for a refresh and possible inclusion of traffic calming.’

The local election in May say a lot of people online commenting that waiting for Labour councillors to do anything about the traffic was a waste of time, and that people need to vote.  MP Robbie Moore has taken to criticising the labour council on this.  The local candidate for Conservatives in East Morton, although not winning, was ‘surprised at how many people voted for him’. 

The mood of the village has changed.  Previous traffic calming discussions talked about an island in the middle of the village.  This would help possibly slow down cars, trucks and vans in that particular part of the village only. We need plateau speed bumps throughout the 20mph zone.   When is something going to be done about this?” 

In accordance with provision at Part 3B, Paragraph 6 of the Council’s Constitution and in addition to the oral response provided at the meeting, the Chair advised that a written response to the question would be provided after the meeting.

Resolved –

That the Director, Legal and Governance, be requested to provide a written response to the public question submitted.

ACTION: Director, Legal and Governance

The Strategic Director, Place, will present a report (Document “A”) which outlines an objection received from a resident to the reduction in speed limit proposed for Oldfield Lane, Oldfield, Keighley.

The objector’s comments and corresponding officer response are included in Appendix 2 to Document “A”.

Recommended –

1.    That the objection be overruled and the proposed speed limit order be implemented.

2.    That the objector be advised accordingly.

(Simon D’Vali – 01274 434674)

The Strategic Director, Place, presented a report (Document “A”) which outlined an objection received from a resident to the reduction in speed limit proposed for Oldfield Lane, Oldfield, Keighley.

The objector’s comments and corresponding officer response were included in Appendix 2 to Document “A”.

It was explained that the Principal Engineer utilised a series of design guides to apply safe speed limits and it was believed that the proposed 40mph limit on the stretch of road which had received the objection was appropriate.  It was felt that lowering the limit to 30mph would result in a level of non-compliance which would not be supported by the police. 

A large scale map of depicting the proposals and revealing varying speed limits around the location was circulated.   A Member with local knowledge of the area reported that the stretch of road under consideration had, for a long time previously, been subject to a limit of 40mph.  That limit had been raised to 60mph in later years and  he believed that the proposals being considered were reinstating the limit to an appropriate speed for the area. 

It was acknowledged that the proposed speeds had been subject to consultation and that if the objection was accepted the scheme in its totality would not go ahead at the current time and would require significant additional funding.

Resolved –

1.    That the objection be overruled and the proposed speed limit order be implemented.

2.    That the objector be advised accordingly.

(Simon D’Vali – 01274 434674)

The report of the Strategic Director, Place, (Document “B”) provides a review of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and an outline of how the devolved funding will be distributed in Bradford.  The report focuses on the role of the Area Committees in terms of decision maker of local funding and influencer of the district delivery.

Recommended –

That the contents of Document “B” be noted and an annual report on the progress of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund be accepted.

(Ingunn Vallumroed – 07816355406)

The report of the Strategic Director, Place, (Document “B”) provided a review of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and an outline of how the devolved funding would be distributed in Bradford.  The report focused on the role of the Area Committees in terms of decision maker of local funding and influencer of the district delivery.

The report revealed that UKSPF had replaced the European Structural and Investment Fund following Brexit. The Allocation for West Yorkshire was £80,486,557. It was allocated over a 3-year period, with approx. £12 million delivered in 2022-23, £21 million in 2023-24, and £48 million in 2024-25. The three-pillar Framework allocating UKSPF funding operated across three pillars, Pillar 1 (Communities and Place), Pillar 2 (Supporting Local Business) and Pillar 3 (People and Skills). WYCA was supporting a two-tiered approach to distribution of the funding. £7.578 million of the UKSPF funding would be allocated to Bradford.

The report provided an update on Year 1 activity as well as budget and proposed activities for Year 2 for the allocated funding through Area Committees.

It was explained that the Government had released the UKSPF prospectus in April 2022 as part of its central mission to level up the whole of the United Kingdom and key outcomes were reported. 

Bradford Council had designed the approach to UKSPF based on its district plan priority outcomes: Children have the best start in life, Residents achieve good health and wellbeing, Sustainable economic growth and decent work for all, Safe, sustainable and inclusive communities and Action at all levels to address climate and environmental change. The plan was underpinned by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Strategic analysis had led to CBMDC’s delivery plan for UKSPF being based on Three strategic themes:

·         Circular (Green and Inclusive) Economy

·         Building Community Infrastructure through volunteering

·         Culture is our Plan.

Appended to the report were the interventions and financial allocation that would be designed and delivered through the Keighley Area Committee.  It was reported that £1.5m of the £7.5m to Bradford had been allocated to the five area committees to allow them to have a significant say in how the funds were spent.   Budgets details; outputs and outcomes to be delivered across the district were also appended to the report.

It was explained that initial monitoring forms were beginning to be received and more information would be provided at future meetings.

It was confirmed that year one was completed and some funding had been rolled over into year two.  It was explained there was a possibility to merge separate revenue funding pots to make it easier for applicants to apply to one single funding source.

A Member questioned if more information on the fund was accessible and was advised that details were available on the WYCA website and information would also shortly be available on the Bradford Council website.

A definition of rural businesses was questioned and it was advised that WYCA used the DEFRA classification.

It was believed that some awards outlined in Appendix 1 seemed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

The report of the Strategic Director, Place, (Document “C”) informs Members of the grants awarded to projects within the Keighley Area by the Area Co-ordinator’s Office in the financial year 2022/23.

Recommended –

1.    That the Keighley Area Co-ordinator, under delegated powers, having responsibility for making decisions on all grant applications administered by the Keighley Area Co-ordinator’s Office, after seeking guidance from the Grants Advisory Group, be approved.

2.    That the membership of the Grants Advisory Group (GAG) as the Chair, Deputy Chair and opposition spokesperson of the Keighley Area Committee for the municipal year 2023/24 be approved.

3.    That the Keighley Area Co-ordinator’s office continue to ensure the effective allocation of all grant funding by providing appropriate support and advice to applicants.

(Jonathan Hayes – 01535 618008)

The report of the Strategic Director, Place, (Document “C”) informed Members of the grants awarded to projects within the Keighley Area by the Area Co-ordinator’s Office in the financial year 2022/23.

The report provided four appendices detailing the award criteria and funding allocated from the Community Chest Grants 2022/23; Jubilee Grants 2022/23; UK Shared Prosperity Funding and the Community Buildings Grants 2022/23 & 2024/25.

A Member questioned if the Community Buildings Grants was limited to charitable organisations and it was explained that was not the case.  It was agreed to ensure that future application forms did not include that stipulation. 

An application from the Reservoir Tavern was queried.  It was reported that this had been for a Jubilee garden party.   It was agreed to check the monitor form returned to see how the funds had been spent.

The requirement for groups to display Council logos and acknowledge the funding source was queried as Members were unsure if that had happened for activities in their wards.  In response to questions about sanctions for organisations not complying it was agreed that it would be harsh to refuse future applications if groups had failed to acknowledge Council support.  It was agreed that spot checks could be carried out and groups be reminded of funding obligations.  If groups had failed to deliver what had been specified, they would be denied future grants.  

Whilst not wanting to overburden the Area Co-ordinator’s staff with onerous administrative tasks it was suggested that an email be sent to all recipients to ensure that they complied with the requirement to promote the funds and to negate the perception that Bradford Council did not support activities in Keighley.

In response to questions it was confirmed that recipients of Community Chest Grants were advised to invite the Chair of the Committee to all events supported and it was agreed that the invitations should be extended to all Ward Members. 

Resolved –

1.    That the Keighley Area Co-ordinator, under delegated powers, having responsibility for making decisions on all grant applications administered by the Keighley Area Co-ordinator’s Office, after seeking guidance from the Grants Advisory Group, be approved.

2.    That the membership of the Grants Advisory Group (GAG) as the Chair, Deputy Chair and opposition spokesperson of the Keighley Area Committee, Councillor Brown, for the municipal year 2023/24 be approved.

3.    That the Keighley Area Co-ordinator’s office continue to ensure the effective allocation of all grant funding by providing appropriate support and advice to applicants.

(Jonathan Hayes – 01535 618008)

Recommended –

That the meetings of Keighley Area Committee for the remainder of the municipal year 2023-24 be held at 1800 hours on the following dates –

Wednesday 26 July 2023

Thursday 14 September 2023

Thursday 19 October 2023

Thursday 16 November 2023

Wednesday 13 December 2022

Thursday 1 February 2024

Thursday 14 March 2024

(Jane Lythgow – 07970 411623)

Resolved –

That the meetings of Keighley Area Committee for the remainder of the municipal year 2023-24 be held at 1800 hours on the following dates –

Thursday 20 July 2023

Thursday 14 September 2023

Thursday 19 October 2023

Thursday 16 November 2023

Thursday 7 December 2022

Thursday 1 February 2024

Thursday 14 March 2024

(Jane Lythgow – 07970 411623)