No Alternate Members present.

There were no disclosures of interest received in matters under consideration.

Recommended –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 29 September 2020 be signed as a correct record (previously circulated).

(Su Booth 07814 073384)

That the minutes of the meeting held on 29 September 2020 be signed as a correct record.

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.

There were no referrals to the Committee.

(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. 

(Su Booth - 07814 073884)

There were no appeals submitted to review decisions to restrict documents

The report of the Interim Strategic Director of Place (Document “O”) provides an overview of the Bradford District Economic Recovery plan that has been developed by the Bradford District Economic Recovery Board.

The recovery plan assesses the impacts of the COVID pandemic on Bradford District’s local economy and sets out the actions we need to take now and over the next two years to accelerate our recovery from Covid-19.

Recommended –

(1)          that the Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee would like to thank Professor Zahir Irani and the Economic Recovery Board members for their valuable contribution to this crucial area of work.

(2)          The Committee note and comment on the approach to Economic Recovery outlined in this report and the accompanying Bradford District Economic Recovery Plan.

(Jason Longhurst – 01274 434748)

The report of the Interim Strategic Director, Place (Document “O”) was presented by Professor Irani from the University of Bradford to the Committee to provide an overview of the Bradford District Economic Recovery Plan.  The Economic Recovery Board developed the plan and consisted of members from the University of Bradford, public and business community as well as education and voluntary sectors.

The aim of the plan was to assess the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the

District’s economy and included the actions needed to be taken from now and over the following two years to accelerate economic recovery.

The pandemic has been both a health and economic emergency with some sections of the community being affected disproportionately.  The Council has played a critical role in providing grant funding to businesses and the plan needed to be implemented alongside the existing economic strategy to address the economic challenges facing the District.

The plan was presented to the meeting of the Council Executive on 5 January 2021 and among the resolutions made at the meeting, was that the Economic Partnership took a lead role in taking the recovery plan forward to inform and support the District’s approach to economic recovery.

Members had the opportunity to ask questions, the details and responses for which are as below:

·         What were the key outcomes and how would the economy improve at ground level?

·      Professor Irani stated that it would be at the operational level, e.g. issuing grant funding with tangible opportunities for investment.  In terms of strategy, it was a long term project and much depended on getting funds.  It would also be transformational.  For example, making Bradford a Learning District with skills development to attract new industries or to create new ones.  Local procurement which would support Bradford businesses.  Access to work, access to opportunity by upskilling and moving people into better skilled industries and to create and support new and emerging sectors.

·         The Chair asked what was new and what was different this time from this report. 

·      In response, Professor Irani stated that there would be new opportunities to take advantage of and the final recommendations from the report reflect the actions that the Board wished to see implemented and supported.  The aspiration was to reduce carbon emissions and support services to support this ambition.  He also stated that the Council should show a positive example and lead on this in its procurement.  To procure locally and environmentally friendly products and services.  The business support mechanism, which had been led by Barclay’s was already in place with resources deployed but not effectively enough and these had not been communicated as well as they could have been.

·         One Member stated that the connectivity in the report brought loose ends together and was pleased with the work carried out over the 5 months.

·      Professor Irani also stated that John Allan, Vice President of the CBI was impressed with the aspiration of the plan which had been shared with his colleagues on the National COVID  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.

The report of the Interim Strategic Director of Place (Document “P”) provides a briefing to members on the work in progress on development of a new 10-year cultural strategy for Bradford District.

“Culture is Our Plan”  is being developed by the Bradford Cultural Place Partnership, funded by Bradford Council and Arts Council England.

Recommended –

(1)       that the Committee notes the work to date and work still in progress on this strategic plan.

(2)       that the Committee gives its comment on the draft narrative, vision and strategic ambitions as part of ongoing consultation on the emerging plan.

(Nicola Greenan – 01274 431301)

The report of the Interim Strategic Director, Place (Document “P”) was presented to the Committee to provide a briefing to Members on the work in progress on the development of a new 10 year cultural strategy for the Bradford District.  The plan was initiated at the start of the first COVID lockdown in 2020 which needed to be more transparent.  COVID hampered engagement and the consultation process.  The proposal represented a 10 year commitment and would be a living document which would be checked and updated every 2 years to see what was working and to check the impact.  The approach to the project was unique and needed to be more agile, current and ambitious – for and of Bradford.  Research had been commissioned to support the bit for the City of Culture 2025.  The Plan needed to be owned by the creative sector in the District to enable cultural work to take place.  The plan proposed would still be followed regardless of the outcome of the City of Culture bid and had 10 ambitions.  Resources and opportunity needed to be spread across the District to make the best of what was available and that the sector needed to be sustainable.  There were lots of single person businesses and the aim was to provide opportunities to work in creative industries locally.

Work needed to take place to show young people and parents that creative jobs were sustainable and bids were being prepared for inclusion in international events and thought was being given to other creative events. 

The plan had targets set on deliverables and strategic ambitions which would last for 10 years.

Members were then given the opportunity to ask questions the details of which and the responses given, are as below:

·         A Member asked why Bradford’s cultural provision was not evenly distributed as stated in the report submitted and wanted to know what the gaps were and how they were being addressed.

·      In response, Officers advised that the educational offer varied and some schools were doing better than others as some had other priorities.  There was a strategy from the Arts Council to engage where there was a low level and a lack of opportunity to be involved in cultural activity.  A Creative People and Places Programme was in place (10 year initiative) and recognition was given to the Council’s own grant programmes, however these had not been reviewed for some years.  There would be a new set of grant programmes from April 2021 which would be more accessible.  There appeared to be correlation between lack of engagement and poverty which the Arts Council were focussed on addressing.

·         A Member asked for confirmation of the ‘LEAP’ project

·      Officers confirmed that it was a £3.5 million investment but it had a long way to go and was structure to try to work across the district, covering 6 wards in 4 years and 12 wards over 10 years in order to get real change and longevity.

·         If the bid for the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.

This report includes the Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme 2020-21 (Document “Q”)

Recommended –

(1)       that members consider and comment on the areas of work included in the work programme.

(2)       that members consider any detailed scrutiny reviews that they may wish to conduct.

The Committee had a discussion around the work plan (Document “Q”) to continue to oversee and review its content. 

Resolved –

The Committee commented on the work progamme and requested that a report relating to Winter Griting Maintenance be presented to the Committee in Autumn 2021.

Action – Overview & Scrutiny Lead