To deal with supplementary questions arising from the attached questions of which written notice has been given. 

 

Notes:

 

(i)         Answers to written questions shall be circulated at the commencement of the meeting.

 

(ii)        The Lord Mayor will have regard to the list of questions and the political composition of the Council in calling on Members to put their supplementary question to the Leader of Council and Portfolio Holders.

 

(iii)       A period of up to 30 minutes shall be available for supplementary questions to Members of the Executive. 

 

1.         Councillor Vick Jenkins

Air quality is a concern for people in the Shipley Ward. Can the Portfolio Holder please inform me what actions are being taken as a result of the Council working with DEFRA to achieve the dramatic improvement in air quality that we need to see in pollution hotspots in the district?

 

2.         Councillor John Pennington

Would the Leader of the Council provide assurance to the Full Council that any change of circumstances at Odsal Stadium and Richard Dunn are maximised to benefit council coffers and the people of Bradford and District?

 

3.         Councillor Jeanette Sunderland

On the 1^st November I was contacted by a company called Bellavail IMS who had been by the Council “to help address the issue of un-adopted roads, footways and street lighting in new developments, which have been left incomplete by developers”. As a results of this work the Council has now “successfully adopted the highway and taken responsibility for the maintenance of the highway at Meadow Road, Apperley Bridge (Bradford), enabling 84 properties with an estimated 240 – 250 residents and council tax payers now able to benefit from local services such as gritting, maintenance of street lighting and street cleansing.” “The company went on to inform me that  “All works were completed at no cost to the public purse with NIL COST to the residents or the Council, which not only improves the local road conditions but also positively affects the saleability and potential value of your constituents’ properties.”

 

Can the Portfolio Holder advise the Council of this arrangement and how this work has been done at “no cost” and where else in the District the company has been working?

 

4.         Councillor Martin Love

Can the Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods and Community Safety please tell us whether it is the police or the Council who are responsible for enforcement of breaches of HGV bans on roads throughout the district?

 

5.         Councillor Michael Stelling

What is the Council doing to prevent the disruption of Park Services by the Travelling Community who have broken into various Park sites recently. Is the Council looking at other legal options to put a blanket ban on these areas and other Council property, to aid easier removal such as what Leeds City Council has done?

 

6.         Councillor Kamran Hussain

Can the Portfolio Holder tell me what has been the impact of the Homelessness Reduction Act in Bradford and what particular challenges do we face with partners in ensuring that we are meeting people’s needs?

 

7.         Councillor Michelle Swallow

Would the Portfolio Holder advise if she agrees that carers who care for sick family members in their own homes are saving the social care system significant resources and does she agree that if family carers were not able to care in the ways they do, adult social care would be in an even more perilous state?

 

8.         Councillor Debbie Davies

As the ‘Science and Technology based business park” at Otley Road, Baildon was meant to provide over 700 high-tech jobs and include a hotel, restaurant and shops and eight years on there is no sign of the hotel, restaurant or shops, could the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, provide an update on the number of jobs and how many of these are classed as “high-tech”?

 

9.         Councillor Michelle Swallow

Would the Portfolio Holder advise if she would consider supporting requests to the Government to increase the support for Carers through the increase of Carer's Allowance from £64.60 per week to a rate which is more comparable to a living wage?

 

10.       Councillor Michelle Swallow

Would the Portfolio Holder please advise how many Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) there are in the District, how many separate residents there are in these HMOs and of these how many have been inspected and require improvements to minimum acceptable standards?

 

11.       Councillor Mike Pollard

Can the Leader of the Council confirm what Wakefield Council (which an Officer recently described as having “impressive Council Tax collection rates”) does differently in collecting Council Tax and how long have we been working with them to try and improve our collection rates in Bradford?

 

12.       Councillor Michelle Swallow

How many households in the District are in rent arrears and unable to top up the difference between either the Housing Benefit or for those on Universal Credit Housing Element and are facing eviction this winter?

 

13.       Councillor David Ward

Will the Portfolio Holder provide a breakdown of Permanent Exclusions by school in 2017/18 and for the beginning of 2018/19?

 

14.       Councillor Michelle Swallow

What steps is the Council taking to prevent homelessness?

 

15.      Councillor Jackie Whiteley

Can the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, please confirm that in seeking to raise parking charges across the district, a full cost benefit analysis has been conducted with regard to the possible affect on high street shops and the potential loss of business rates should shops cease to trade and furthermore does this proposal conflict with Policy EC5 of the adopted Core Strategy which seeks to sustain and enhance the vitality and viability of centres across the district? (Retail studies [EB/034-036]

 

16.       Councillor Ralph Berry

Does the Leader share my frustration and anger about the situation with Wibsey park lodge?

 

17.       Councillor Ruth Wood

Given the frustrations caused while roadworks are being carried out, can the Portfolio Holder outline how the Council manages roadworks through the Yorkshire Common Permit Scheme, whether there have been any benefits through this and what more can be done to minimise the impact?

 

18.       Councillor Andrew Senior

Can the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, provide an update on what he is doing to secure the future of Queensbury tunnel, which would potentially be the longest underground cycle/walkway in England?

 

19.       Councillor Hassan Khan

Can the Portfolio Holder give an update on the Opportunity Area scheme and what activities it’s doing to improve educational standards?

 

20.       Councillor Abid Hussain

Can the Portfolio Holder give an update on the Industrial Centre of Excellence in Keighley and how it is helping young people to get the skills and qualifications they need to secure good jobs?

 

21.       Councillor Brendan Stubbs

Can the Portfolio Holder give details on the recent drive to ensure hot food take aways were correctly licensed to operate beyond 11pm, how many businesses were targeted, how many applied for a license and finally what action is being taken to ensure compliance from those who have not applied for a license?

 

22.       Councillor Hassan Khan

What are our plans for investment and support for skills in the Bradford District to prepare for the future after Brexit?

 

23.       Councillor Robert Hargreaves

Given the number of new houses being built in rural and semi-rural areas, can the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, inform the Council of when we will have in place a comprehensive strategy, informing investment in the new / improved infrastructure, such as sewers, highways, school places, GP and dental services etc, required to accommodate the many thousands of new houses that the Controlling Group wishes to see built across the district?

 

24.       Councillor Mohammed Shafiq

Can the Leader tell us who the winners of the staff awards were this year and does she agree with me that it is vital that we take time to thank council staff for the work they do for the residents of the district, particularly in these difficult times?

 

25.       Councillor Kevin Warnes

Can the Leader of Council assure us that non-stunned meat is only being served in our district's schools to children whose parents/carers have provided written consent linked to their faith and therefore opted into the provision of these meals?

 

26.       Councillor Vick Jenkins

Can the Leader join with me in congratulating a care home in Shipley ward for its Outstanding grade in its recent CQC inspection having only been open for one year?

 

27.       Councillor John Pennington

Can the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, advise colleagues whether, now that Red Route Corridors (road markings) no longer require special approval, will the Council consider introducing them outside schools?

 

28.       Councillor Hassan Khan

I really welcome the increased emphasis on being tough on dangerous drivers in the district. Can the Leader give us an update on how Operation Steerside is going?

 

29.       Councillor Aneela Ahmed

Can the Portfolio Holder let us know the latest progress on the development of the former Odeon building?

 

30.       Councillor Alun Griffiths

For each of the last three years 2016, 2017, 2018 how many notices of motion were submitted by each political group on the council and how many of these (by political group) were moved straight to the vote under Standing Order 19?

 

31.       Councillor Tess Peart

Does the Portfolio Holder agree that whilst one can never be complacent the recent Ofsted report identified strengths within the council and partners in tackling the heinous crime of child sexual exploitation?

 

32.       Councillor Debbie Davies

Would the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, put residents’ minds at rest by confirming that there are no plans to charge people, who currently have free resident parking permits, for them in the future?

 

33.       Councillor Carol Thirkill

Can the Portfolio Holder tell us what steps he is taking to ensure the voice of the child is heard throughout this Council?

 

34.       Councillor Simon Cooke

Could the Leader of the Council provide colleagues with an update as to where we are at with key regeneration schemes, such as, BD1, St. John’s, Keighley College, Jacob’s Well, Richard Dunn and Odsal Stadium?

 

35.       Councillor Jeanette Sunderland

At the last meeting of Council I asked what action was being taken to address the on-going potential safeguarding concerns arising from the limited capacity to conduct direct payment audits for social care clients?  The reply did not address the question, you said you would follow up my supplementary question however I do not seem to have had a reply. Is there a proper process in place to deal with all clients or their nominated persons in receipt of direct payments and are there any remaining safeguarding concerns?

 

 

36.       Councillor Jackie Whiteley

Does the Leader of the Council accept that by reducing the grant to Town and Parish Councils, as per the Controlling Group’s budget proposals, residents of certain parts of the District will affectively receive a stealth tax in order to maintain the services which they receive?

 

37.       Councillor Debbie Davies

As we were told at July’s Full Council meeting that a report would be available in September detailing the success or otherwise of the appointment of the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy Manager, can the Portfolio Holder for Education, Employment & Skills, confirm whether this report is now available?

 

38.       Councillor David Ward

Using the January census point, will the Portfolio Holder show the number of new Elective Home Educated children for the years 2015-2016 to 2017-18 by school attended immediately prior to commencing Elective Home Education?

 

39.       Councillor Robert Hargreaves

Can the Portfolio Holder provide an update on the feasibility studies and subsequent consultations process for the possible crematoria at Littlemoor Park, Queensbury, Northcliffe Park, Shipley etc and can he confirm whether the Council has bought the site of the former Branch Pub in Shipley, in order to improve access to the possible Northcliffe Park facility?

 

Council Document “N” details the questions from Members to the Leader of Council and Portfolio Holders and the answers given.