Local democracy

Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - City Hall, Bradford. View directions

Contact: Su Booth - 07814 073884 

Items
No. Item

34.

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 must consider their interests, and act according to the following:

 

Type of Interest

You must:

 

 

Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

Disclose the interest; not participate in the discussion or vote; and leave the meeting unless you have a dispensation.

 

 

Other Registrable Interests (Directly Related)

OR

Non-Registrable Interests (Directly Related)

Disclose the interest; speak on the item only if the public are also allowed to speak but otherwise not participate in the discussion or vote; and leave the meeting unless you have a dispensation.

 

 

 

Other Registrable Interests (Affects)

OR

Non-Registrable Interests (Affects)

Disclose the interest; remain in the meeting, participate and vote unless the matter affects the financial interest or well-being

 (a) to a greater extent than it affects the financial interests of a majority of inhabitants of the affected ward, and

(b) a reasonable member of the public knowing all the facts would believe that it would affect your view of the wider public interest;

in which case speak on the item only if the public are also allowed to speak but otherwise not do not participate in the discussion or vote; and leave the meeting unless you have a dispensation.

 

(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.

 

Minutes:

No declarations of interest were received in matters under consideration.

35.

MINUTES

Recommended –

 

That the minutes of the meeting held on 18 October 2022 be signed as a correct record (previously circulated).

 

(Su Booth – 07814 073884)

Minutes:

Resolved –

 

That the minutes of the meeting held on 18 October 2022 be held as a correct record.

 

Action: Director of Legal and Governance.

36.

REFERRALS TO THE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

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.

Minutes:

There were no referrals received by the Committee.

 

37.

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. 

 

(Su Booth – 07814 073884)

Minutes:

There were no appeals submitted to review decisions to restrict documents.

 

38.

ECONOMIC STRATEGY OVERVIEW pdf icon PDF 276 KB

The report of the Strategic Director, Place (Document “M”) will be submitted to the Committee to provide an update on the progress to deliver the Bradford District Economic Strategy 2018-2030 and the subsequent Bradford District Economic Recovery Plan 2021- 2023. It also provides an update on initial steps towards a new Economic Strategy and Implementation Plan delivering a sustainable and inclusive economy that works for everyone through an overarching approach focused on Clean Growth.

 

Recommended –

 

That members note the contents of this report, and views of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the matters highlighted are requested. 

 

(Sarah Carling - 07816 351362)

 

 

 

 

Minutes:

The report of the Strategic Director, Place (Document “M”) was submitted to update the Scrutiny Committee on the progress to deliver the Bradford District Economic Strategy 2018-2030 and the subsequent Bradford District Economic Recovery Plan 2021-2023. It also provided an update on initial steps towards a new Economic Strategy and Implementation Plan delivering a sustainable and inclusive economy that works for everyone through an overarching approach focused on Clean Growth.

 

The report provided a brief update of the current economic conditions following the Covid -19 Pandemic and reflected current global economic turbulence, which set the context for the delivery of current strategy and plan.

 

Officers summarised the main points giving an overview of its content and background information relating to the post Covid recovery plan. 

 

The report also provided details of the important progress in delivering key elements of the strategy including Bradford Live, Darley Street Market, Keighley and Shipley Towns Fund bids, the Hall Ings Road scheme, One City Park, Skillshouse and the successful bid to become UK City of Culture in 2025.

 

In response to the impact of the pandemic, the Council in collaboration with the University of Bradford formed the Bradford Economic Recovery Board.  The Board brought a diverse and inclusive group of Council and business leaders together alongside partner organisations and key stakeholders to guide the development of the Bradford District’s Economic Recovery Plan which was published in early 2021.

Headlines on actions discussed in the report included both immediate and aspirational interventions with actions to address key areas of opportunity.  More comprehensive details were also provided in appendices submitted with the main report.

An explanation of the plan for an Economic Strategy and Clean Growth Implementation Plan (2023-2030) to direct the district towards high growth with a perspective on investment and commercial opportunities was also included for Members information.

 

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

 

A Member asked about the remit/role of the Economic Partnership Board or its equivalent and was advised that it was a partnership group with oversight and consultative role on strategy and comprised a mixture of public sector and business leaders.

 

Officers were then asked what resources were available to the Board and was advised that financial resources were minimal.  The Chair was supported to attend meetings in order to promote the District to central Government and wider businesses.

 

Members asked about the quality of jobs available as employment levels were increasing despite the pandemic.  Officers advised that they did not have data with enough details to answer as it was sourced from ONS and DWP.  Officers stated that they would find out what data could be made available and informed members that there had been a reduction in the number of zero hour contracts as less workers were available.  Work was mainly lower paid so improving skills to improve the quality of jobs was needed.

 

Members asked what else was being done apart  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38.

39.

CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT UPDATE pdf icon PDF 2 MB

The report of the Strategic Director, Place (Document “N”) provides an update on delivering the flagship projects and also other significant climate and environmental developments since the declaration in 2019, including proposals for distributing £40-50m gain share funding, in line with the West Yorkshire Climate & Environment Plan, Domestic Energy Efficiency Scheme and delivery of key sustainability projects in the District.

 

Recommended –

 

That the Committee notes the progress made on delivering a sustainable, clean growth District.

 

(Andrew Whittles - 07581 007609)

 

Minutes:

 

The report of the Strategic Director, Place (Document “N”) was submitted to the Committee and provided an update on key environmental delivery programme following the Climate Emergency declared by the Council in 2019.

 

Five ‘flagship’ projects were identified by the Council which were the expansion of the electric vehicle (EV) charging point network and increased numbers of electric vehicles, the delivery of a district heat network (which could potentially offer savings for the Council and partners on the cost of heating), utilising the opportunities offered by hydrogen, increasing renewable energy and electricity generation on the Council’s estate and a reduction in energy consumption from street lighting.  The report updated Members on the delivery of these as well as other environmental and climate developments deemed significant.

 

Officers advised that the Council’s carbon emissions had reduced by half and a report would be presented in relation to the recently launched Clean Air Zone.  They further advised that the increase in the number of EV charging points throughout the district in terraced streets and areas with limited or no off-street parking would be expanded by providing neighbourhood charge points which were installed but had not yet been commissioned.  The Council had already introduced electric vehicles into its fleet, including a refuse collection vehicle and was developing proposals for charging infrastructure to be installed to facilitate a change to electric vehicles (cars and small vans) an EV leasing scheme for staff was also being developed.

 

In addition, in order to achieve reductions in heating costs and emissions further an application for funding to the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) was made which would be used along with a contribution from the Council to connect 6 council buildings to a cleaner District Heat Network (DHN). Whilst the procurement of land was started by the Council, the facility itself would be developed by the private sector.

 

Other projects hi-lighted included the upgrade of street lighting to LED which was completed by approximately one third.  Possible solar park sites were being looked into and a domestic energy retro fitting scheme to enable residents to improve energy efficiency in their homes was just one element of the gain share programme in wave 1 of the West Yorkshire Climate and Environment Plan.

 

Officers also advised Members that the Council was working with partners to develop a hydrogen production facility.  A HyBradford facility would also enable tankered transport of H2 and piped supplies to key organisations within a 1km radius. 

 

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

 

Members asked if the hydrogen that would be produced was green and as it would be blended into the natural gas supply, how it would be used.  Officers advised that it was green and a profitable use would be for vehicles with the facility acting as a fuelling site.  Costs were equivalent to diesel so the only additional cost would be the acquisition of vehicles to use it.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.

40.

WORK PROGRAMME 2022-23 pdf icon PDF 93 KB

The report of the Chair of the Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Document “O”) will be submitted to Members and presents the Committee’s Work Programme 2022-23.

 

Recommended –

 

That the Work programme 2022-23 continues to be regularly reviewed during the year.

 

(Caroline Coombes - 07970 413828) 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Chair of the Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Document “O”) was submitted to provide Members with the latest updated work programme.  The Lead Scrutiny Officer advised Members of the changes to the schedule of reports and about the additional meeting in January 2023.  Changes would be reflected in the programme document as circulated to Members.

 

Resolved –

 

That the Work programme 2022-23 continues to be regularly reviewed during the year.

 

Action: Lead Scrutiny Officer