Local democracy

Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Denholme Mechanics Institute, Main Rd, Denholme, Bradford, BD13 4BL

Contact: Palbinder Sandhu 

Items
No. Item

26.

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:

During consideration of the Parks and Green Spaces Service Annual Report (Minute 35), Councillor Heseltine disclosed, for transparency, that he undertook work with the Friends of Prince of Wales Park.

 

ACTION:       City Solicitor

27.

CHAIR'S OPENING REMARKS

Minutes:

The Chair introduced Ella Curtis, from Baildon, who had attended the meeting to thank the Committee for supporting her endeavours to take part in the Special Olympics World Games taking place in Abu Dhabi in March 2019.  Ella had received £250 following a successful funding bid to the Area Committee’s Grants Advisory Group and would be taking part in the games as part of Great Britain’s cycling team.

 

A representative of Bradford Disability Sport and Leisure addressed the Committee and stated that the funding was greatly appreciated.  He informed Members that Ella was one of five Bradford athletes who would be attending the Special Olympics World Games as part of the Great Britain team and that each athlete needed to raise around £3,500 to fund the trip.

 

Members thanked Ella for attending the meeting and wished her well during her participation in the Special Olympics World Games.

28.

MINUTES

Recommended –

 

That the minutes of the meeting held on 12 September 2018 be signed as a correct record (previously circulated).

 

(Palbinder Sandhu – 01274 432269)

Minutes:

Resolved –

 

That the minutes of the meeting held on 12 September 2018 be signed as a correct record.

29.

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. 

 

(Palbinder Sandhu - 01274 432269)

 

Minutes:

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

30.

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 Monday 26 September 2018.

 

(Palbinder Sandhu - 01274 432269)

 

Minutes:

There were no questions submitted by the public.

31.

*SHIPLEY AREA COMMITTEE AND SHIPLEY CONSTITUENCY AREA PARTNERS' ADVISORY GROUP (SCAPAG) ISSUES

Up to a maximum of 15 minutes will be allowed for SCAPAG members to raise new items of information, questions, requests or suggestions that may have arisen within their organisation/neighbourhood and which are relevant to raise at the meeting.

 

Issues raised in accordance with the above must be received in writing by the Shipley Area Co-ordinator’s Office in Shipley Town Hall, Shipley, BD18 3EJ, by mid-day on Monday 26 November 2018.

 

(Damian Fisher – 01274 437146)

Minutes:

The Area Co-ordinator informed the Committee that no SCAPAG issues had been received for this meeting.

 

No resolution was passed on this item.

32.

*SCAPAG MEETING NOTES - 27 JUNE 2018 pdf icon PDF 106 KB

The Area Co-ordinator will present the notes (Document “J”) of SCAPAG contributions made at the meeting with the Area Committee held on 27 June 2018.

 

Recommended –

 

That the notes be received.                                            

(Damian Fisher – 01274 437146)

Minutes:

The Area Co-ordinator presented the notes (Document “J”) of SCAPAG contributions made at the meeting with the Area Committee held on 27 June 2018.

 

Resolved –

 

That the notes be received.

 

NO ACTION

33.

YOUTH SERVICE - SHIPLEY AREA pdf icon PDF 603 KB

The Strategic Director Place will submit “Document K” which gives an update on work undertaken by the Youth Service within the Shipley Area during 2017-18.

 

Recommended –

 

That the work undertaken by the Youth Service in the Shipley Area as detailed in Document “K” be welcomed.

 

(Children’s Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee)

 (Carys Bose – 01274 437146)

Minutes:

The Strategic Director, Place submitted “Document K” which gave an update on work undertaken by the Youth Service within the Shipley constituency during 2017-18.

 

The Advanced Practitioner and three young people, who were service users of the Youth Service, were in attendance at the meeting. 

 

The Advanced Practitioner stated that the report detailed work that had been carried out over 2017-18 and provided a brief update on how the work had developed over the current municipal year.  During her presentation she informed Members that in addition to open access provision, which was well attended, the service was carrying out more targeted provision to work with specific groups; work with Youth in Mind had developed further and the service was taking referrals from schools which would take some pressure off direct referrals to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS); partnership working was taking place with the Police to carry out positive work to address issues that had taken place over the Summer in Shipley and Bingley Town Centres; as part of the Area Opportunity Fund, to increase social mobility, the service had been requested to develop a group of young ambassadors to analyse issues relating to attainment in the district and facilitate a dialogue with Board Members, and young inspectors to undertake inspections in schools and make recommendations to them if needed. 

 

A project had been undertaken to find out what youth work meant to young people, for national youth work week, and a number of the positive messages that had been fed back to the service were shared with Members.

 

The three young people in attendance at the meeting spoke of the support and advice they had received from the service and how it had impacted on them personally.

 

The Chair thanked the young people for attending the meeting and for sharing with Members their personal experiences of engaging with the Youth Service.  He also thanked the young people that had previously assisted the Grants Advisory Group in making funding decisions.

 

In response to Members’ questions, the Advanced Practitioner stated that:

 

·         Approximately five or six young people from the Shipley constituency had participated in the Changing Places sessions delivered across the district.  The programme focused on new migrant groups.

·         The number of referrals from CAMHS, as detailed in paragraph 2.4 of the report, ranged widely between constituency areas and was considered to reflect the population of young people within those areas. 

·         Baildon Youth Café had engaged with approximately 200-300 young people in Baildon during a consultation regarding the issues they felt were important to them.  The majority of the engagement work had taken place in Titus Salt School.

 

Following a request from the Chair, the Advanced Practitioner agreed to circulate a briefing note to Members on the pilot programme providing online support and access to trained counsellors 24 hours a day seven days a week for vulnerable young people.  She also agreed to provide further information on how much funding the district had received for the Changing Places sessions  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.

34.

NOMINATION TO LIST PROPERTY AS AN ASSET OF COMMUNITY VALUE - HARDEN MEMORIAL HALL pdf icon PDF 544 KB

 

The report of the Strategic Director, Corporate Resources, (Document “L”) informs Members that the Council has received a nomination to list Harden Memorial Hall as an Asset of Community Value under the Localism Act 2011.  The report considers whether the nomination and nominated asset meet the Asset of Community Value criteria set out in the Localism Act and contains a recommendation as to whether or not the nomination should be approved.

 

Recommended –

 

That the Committee recommend that that Director of Corporate Resources accept the nomination of the property known as Harden Memorial Hall, Wilsden Road, Harden, Bingley, BD16 1JP on the grounds that it meets the criteria and definition of an Asset of Community Value as set out in the Localism Act 2011.

 

(Corporate Overview & Scrutiny Committee)

(Nigel Gillatt – 01274 424224)

Minutes:

The report of the Strategic Director, Corporate Resources, (Document “L”) informed Members that the Council had received a nomination to list Harden Memorial Hall as an Asset of Community Value under the Localism Act 2011. 

 

The report informed Members that the nominated asset met the Asset of Community Value criteria as set out in the Localism Act.

 

Resolved –

 

That the Committee recommend that the Director of Corporate Resources accept the nomination of the property known as Harden Memorial Hall, Wilsden Road, Harden, Bingley, BD16 1JP on the grounds that it meets the criteria and definition of an Asset of Community Value as set out in the Localism Act 2011.

 

OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE: Corporate Services

ACTION: Strategic Director, Children’s Services

35.

PARKS AND GREEN SPACES SERVICE ANNUAL REPORT pdf icon PDF 96 KB

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

 

Recommended –

 

That the content of Document “M” be noted and the planned merger of the Cleansing Service be welcomed.

 

(Regeneration & Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee)

 (Ian Wood – 01274 432648)

Minutes:

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

 

The Principal Manager, Parks and Green Spaces, provided a summary of the report.  He highlighted the closer working relationship with the bowls clubs as well as the upcomingoperational and structural changes within the service which would see a merger of the Parks and Cleansing services; this would create a larger, more resilient, workforce and would allow greater flexibility across the service areas as detailed in the report.

 

A Member commented that he appreciated the challenges facing the service but was concerned about the lack of information in the report about positive developments at Bingley St Ives. In response, the Principal Manager reported that the Bingley St Ives Estate was managed by the Trees and Woodlands unit, however, he was able to inform Members that trees had been felled due to illness, new planting was scheduled in early 2019 and the Trees Manager was working on improvements at the location with the aim of getting its Green Flag status back. 

 

Following a request from the Chair, the Principal Manager agreed to circulate further details of the events listed in paragraph 2.5.1 of the report, in particular where they were delivered and by whom.

 

The Chair stated that it would be useful for Members to see an operational plan of how the structure would work.

 

A Member stated that she had previously spoken about improving the signage for the tennis courts on Temple Rydding Drive as many people living in Baildon did not know the facilities were there.  The Principal Manager agreed to chase this up.

 

Resolved –

 

That the content of Document “M” be noted and the planned merger of the Cleansing Service be noted.

 

OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE: Regeneration & Environment

ACTION: Strategic Director, Place

36.

THE ALLOCATION OF THE COMMUNITY BUILDING GRANTS (EXTENDED COMMUNITY CENTRE CORE COSTS) pdf icon PDF 1 MB

The report of the Strategic Director, Place (Document “N”) 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 related costs.

 

Recommended –

 

(1)       That the proposed allocation process for Community Building Grants be noted.

 

(2)       That the Shipley 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 Shipley Area. 

 

(3)       That the Shipley Area Coordinator be requested to bring 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)

Minutes:

The report of the Strategic Director, Place (Document “N”) set 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 related costs.

 

The Shipley Area Co-ordinator reminded Members that in 2016 the Council approved plans to remove or reduce rent subsidies provided to voluntary and community sector organisations, community development grants and discretionary business rate relief to not for profit organisations.  He stated that the available budget across the district, for 2019-20, was £250,000 and that the new grants would commence from 1 April 2019.  The allocation process for Community Buildings Grants was outlined in Appendix 1 of Document “N” which proposed that the Grants Advisory Group consider expressions of interest in January 2019 and that their recommendations then be considered by the Area Committee.

 

The Chair asked Members to review the list that had been circulated to them previously of organisations that were currently on the mailing list to receive information about the Community Building Grants.  If there were any organisation that Members wanted to add to the list he asked them to inform the Area Co-ordinator.

 

Resolved –

 

(1)       That the proposed allocation process for Community Building Grants be noted.

 

(2)       That the Shipley Area Co-ordinator 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 Shipley Area. 

 

(3)       That the Shipley Area Co-ordinator be requested to bring 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. 

 

OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE: Corporate

ACTION: Strategic Director, Place

37.

STREET CLEANSING SERVICES, ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT AND COUNCIL WARDEN SERVICES pdf icon PDF 451 KB

The Area Co-ordinator will present a report (Document “O”) which is the annual report on street cleansing, environmental enforcement and council wardens. The report also provides information about the merger of the parks Service into Neighbourhood and Customer Services.

 

Recommended –

 

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

 

(2)       That a further report be presented in 2019 outlining a new operational model based on constituency working.

 

(Corporate/Regeneration & Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committees)

(Damien Fisher/Louise Williams – 01274 437146/431066)

Minutes:

The Area Co-ordinator presented a report (Document “O”) which provided the annual report on street cleansing, environmental enforcement and council wardens. The report also provided information about the merger of the parks Service into Neighbourhood and Customer Services.

 

The Area Co-ordinator provided a summary of the report, emphasising the need for a service re-design due to a shrinking budget and stated that the merger of the Parks and Street Cleansing services would provide more opportunities for joined up working and closer synergies.  He spoke of the two different Warden roles; Council Wardens and Neighbourhood Wardens.  He informed Members that details of the new ways of working would be submitted to the Committee during 2019.  He also stated that, in terms of the percentage of streets failing on litter and detritus levels, the Shipley constituency was performing well with the lowest levels across the district and with the least number of complaints received by the Enforcement Team.

 

In response to Members’ questions, it was reported that:

 

·         In the new structure there would be 32 Council Wardens and 41 Neighbourhood Wardens.

·         All Wardens would be performance managed.

·         It was likely that some Wardens would be based in Shipley town centre but managed centrally from Bradford city centre.

·         There were 130 full time equivalent staff employed in the Street Cleansing service.

·         There was no cost associated with splitting the role of Wardens and the costs associated with changes in uniform were not yet known.

·         Wardens would be working the same shift times with more flexibility e.g. around school start/finish times when required.

·         The reduction in Street Cleansing resources (the loss of 25 frontline staff and five mechanical sweepers) was being implemented following a decision made by the Executive.

·         There were currently 16 mechanical sweepers and this number would be reduced to 11.

·         Broken glass, road traffic accident and drug litter were examples of litter complaints which were classed as emergencies.

·         Whilst the number of complaints regarding litter in the Baildon ward had increased, the numbers were still considered relatively small.

·         The service was getting better at detecting areas most in need to deploy resources to with the use of new software as well as engaging with Members to determine ‘hot spot’ areas.

 

A Member commented that there needed to be litter bins at bus stops.

 

The Chair requested that the Area Co-ordinator circulate to Members the list of the 23 new gateway routes as outlined in paragraph 2.11 of his report.

 

The Area Co-ordinator suggested that a Members working group be set up.

 

Resolved –

 

(1)          That the information in Document “O” be noted.

 

(2)          That a further report be presented in 2019 outlining a new operational model based on constituency working.

 

(3)          That the Area Co-ordinator be requested to set up a Members Working Group to be involved in the new process.

 

(4)          That the Street Cleansing, Environmental Enforcement and Council Warden Services staff be thanked for the day-to-day work they undertake in difficult circumstances.

 

OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE:  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.