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.
QUESTIONS TO MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE
1. Councillor Swallow
Is the Government's much anticipated Fairer Funding Formula for Schools going to be fair for Bradford children?
2. Councillor Mike Pollard
It is appreciated that the Council's Medium Term Financial Strategy forecasts must be prudently cautious, but could the Portfolio holder for Housing, Planning and Transport explain why, in the context of a 'Core Strategy' looking at providing 42,000 new homes in the District by 2030, the projected residential Council Tax base for 2021/2, i.e. nearly half way through the 'Core Strategy' timeframe, only assumes that 3,750 of those 42,000 will be completed?
3. Councillor Jeanette Sunderland
To ask the Portfolio Holder for Education, Skills and Culture how many unauthorised absences from school have been recorded, per year group, monthly since January 2014 to November 2015?
4. Councillor Love
Can the Leader of Council confirm if he was one of the 50 Labour Council Leaders to sign a commitment to run their authority on carbon-neutral energy by 2050? If so, does he think this is ambitious enough and does he have a plan to achieve it?
5. Councillor Naylor
Could the Leader provide details of the stock levels of salt held by Bradford over the last five years by depot or reserve including this year’s current stock levels and the details of any proposed reduction in gritting routes?
6. Councillor Robinson
Can the Leader provide an update on the progress being made on the Council receiving repayment of the loan made to the Bradford Bulls which had a personal guarantee from Omar Khan?
7. Councillor Morris
With the knowledge that 130 people have been slaughtered by Muslim extremists in Paris, one of which was known to have entered the EU posing as a refugee in October, will the Council change its open door policy to refugees until a way can be found to protect the residents of the district?
8. Councillor Jabar
Can the Leader update us on the implications for Bradford District of the Chancellor’s Comprehensive Spending Review? Would he share the view that the recent spending review and Autumn statement is a direct attack on Local Authorities like Bradford and some of our most disadvantaged, marginalised and vulnerable individuals and families?
9. Councillor Greenwood
Can the Leader tell us what effect the Government’s £2.6m cut to Public Health budgets will have on local services?
10. Councillor Cooke
Does the Leader of the Council think that it would be beneficial for the Trustees of Robert Park, to meet with the Friends of Robert Park?
11. Councillor Wainwright
Can the Leader of Council tell us whether or not he has been approached by the Prime Minister to raise his concerns about Local Government funding cuts or does he believe that it is the case that Mr Cameron only cares about the impact of his own cuts when it happens in his own backyard in Oxfordshire?
12. Councillor Dunbar
Would the Leader of Council explain how the Priority Streets Scheme will aim to attract businesses to the top end of the City Centre following the successful launch of the Broadway Shopping Centre?
13. Councillor Davies
Could the Portfolio Holder for Education, Skills and Culture inform Members of how many members of the public (i.e. not Council employees, councillors, teachers or anybody else attending in a professional capacity) attended the Public Forum for Education event on 6th October?
14. Councillor Greenwood
Are the measures outlined in the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review sufficient to tackle the financial and demand pressures facing the District’s social care services?
15. Councillor Stelling
To ask the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Planning and Transport - Winter is now here. Can the Portfolio Holder please confirm how many snow wardens in the District have received the resources and support mentioned in your last response? How many of these are from within Bolton & Undercliffe?
16. Councillor Dunbar
Would the Portfolio Holder please give an update on the progress of the Get Bradford Working scheme and its different components?
17. Councillor Barker
Could the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Planning and Transport inform colleagues of how much money has been raised through Section 106 agreements within Wharfedale Ward over the past 10 years and from which projects and in what amounts?
18. Councillor Dunbar
Would the Portfolio Holder for Education, Skills and Culture please report on the fantastic outcomes achieved by the young people involved in the recent Takeover Day from the Children in Care Council and thank the staff involved for all their hard work and dedication?
19. Councillor Rickard
Can the Leader of the Council confirm the Council’s approach to ensuring that the District can take full advantage of the Chancellors Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund announced in the Autumn Statement?
20. Councillor Leeming
To ask the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Planning and Transport as of the 1st October 2015 smoke alarms and Carbon Monoxide alarms must, by law, be fitted in all private rented properties. Can you advise how you will you ensure that this new regulation is going to be adhered to without a comprehensive register of private landlords?
21. Councillor Cooke
Given the size and cost of agendas for the last two full council meetings, can the Leader of the Council confirm what steps are planned to develop paperless systems for meetings of Council and council committees so as to reduce costs and improve the efficiency of councillors?
Can the Leader of the Council confirm that the Council will do something, hopefully that local people can take part in, to mark the Queen’s 90th birthday?
23. Councillor Rickard
Can the Leader of the Council advise colleagues of the current position of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) with regard to the attainment of its Strategic Economic Priorities?
24. Councillor Reid
To ask the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Planning and Transport as Bradford Highways staff are now providing services to neighbouring authorities, can the Portfolio Holder indicate the extent to which staff from neighbouring authorities are currently working in Bradford?
25. Councillor Love
Can the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Planning and Transport tell us what the current lead time is for fixing street lights once they have been reported?
26. Councillor Davies
As last Autumn it was stated that the Council aimed to close the gap between Bradford and the national average of children getting five A*-C GCSE grades, this year from six per cent to three per cent, could the Portfolio Holder for Education, Skills and Culture advise Members of whether this was achieved?
27. CouncillorEllis
Can the Portfolio Holder for Environment, Sport and Sustainability confirm what actions the Council plans to take to ensure that it adheres to the latest recommendations of the National Fly Tipping Advisory Group?
28. Councillor Davies
Does the Portfolio Holder for Environment, Sport and Sustainability think that more people would use public libraries if popular titles were more readily available? I appreciate that there are limited resources but libraries primarily exist to provide books and I recently went into request a copy of ‘The Girl on the Train’ and was told there were 66 reservations before mine?
29. Councillor Fear
To ask the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Planning and Transport for an update on progress that has been made on fixing Thackley Corner and whether an assessment has been made as to the impact of the delay in getting it fixed has had on highway safety?
30. Councillor Cooke
Can the Leader of the Council confirm that the Council has a policy which specifies the number of days within which invoices should be paid and if so can he confirm the percentage of invoices to the Planning Department that are not paid within this time and why?
31. Councillor Sykes
Could the Portfolio holder for Education, Skills and Culture inform Members of the route that bus tours for trainee teachers take around the District as a way to encourage them to teach in Bradford?
32. CouncillorJeanette Sunderland
To ask the Portfolio Holder for Education, Skills and Culture how many parents or guardians have been fined for failing to ensure their child attended school from January 2014 to November 2015?
33. Councillor Davies
Does the Portfolio holder for Housing, Planning and Transport, think that it may be time to remove or relax some Tree Preservation Orders on sycamore trees, so owners can have permission to cut them back thereby saving the Council money on clearing up fallen leaves?
34. Councillor Davies
Can the Leader of the Council advise colleagues whether Council owned shops and offices which have been vacant for some time, is the rent reduced in order to attract a new tenant?
35. Councillor Love
Can the Portfolio Holder for Health and Social Care give an update on the current situation regarding the redevelopment of the former Neville Grange residential home in Saltaire?
36. Councillor Townend
Could the Portfolio Holder for Environment, Sport and Sustainability confirm the footfall for each library?
37. Councillor Jeanette Sunderland
To ask the Portfolio Holder for Education, Skills and Culture what was the total of the amount parents or guardians were fined for failing to ensure their child/children attended school from January 2014 to November 2015?
38. Councillor Miller
Can the Portfolio Holder for Education, Skills & Culture confirm whether any consultation took place regarding the closure of Visitor Information Centres and if so, how many residents were consulted (particularly in Main Street, Haworth), how many Elected Members were consulted and why were Elected Members not provided with feedback, when it had been specifically requested?
39. Councillor Morris
The Council has a duty to put the ratepayers of the District first, so why won’t the Council put the reserves it intends spending on housing and supporting refugees into keeping services paid for by ratepayers, surely that should be the priority of the Council in times of austerity?
Supporting documents:
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