To deal with the below 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 Simon Cunningham

Following the welcome news that Bradford is to benefit from an £8.1 million investment in a new ultra-low emission bus fleet, supported by this Council, can the Portfolio Holder advise which routes will be served by the new vehicles? And is this environmentally-friendly upgrade evidence that the clean air ambitions of this council are already having a positive impact on our city's air quality?

 

2.    Councillor Rebecca Poulsen

Slaymaker Lane, Oakworth has been flooded for many weeks despite gullies being cleared and this makes vehicular access difficult and pedestrian access impossible.  As this is a direct route to the newly refurbished Oakworth Crematorium that will shortly re-open, could the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport confirm what action the Council is taking to ensure the flood issues are resolved prior to re-opening?

 

3.    Councillor Brendan Stubbs

To the Portfolio Holder for safer Communities, following a number of attacks on Buses in the Thorpe Edge area leading to a number of suspensions and re-directs what actions are the Council taking alongside the Police and First Buses to ensure the majority of residents of all ages in Thorpe Edge are able to access to a reliable bus service.

 

4.    Councillor Kevin Warnes

The Leader of Council will be aware that Section 44 of the Children and Families Act 2014 states the obligations of a local education authority with regard to the time limit when reviewing an EHC plan. Specifically: “A local authority must review an EHC plan that it maintains (a) in the period of 12 months starting with the date on which the plan was first made, and (b) in each subsequent period of 12 months starting with the date on which the plan was last reviewed under this section.” She will also be aware that Regulation 20 of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 sets out the procedure in detail, making it clear that the review is complete only when the local authority notifies the parent/young person of its decision. Specifically: “The local authority must then decide whether it proposes to (a) continue to maintain the EHC plan in its current form; (b) amend it; or (c) cease to maintain it, and must notify the child’s parent … within four weeks of the review meeting.” Bearing this in mind, can the Leader of Council please tell us (1) how many cases of this kind HAVE been dealt with within that four-week window across the district since the beginning of 2021; (2) how many cases of this kind have NOT dealt with within that four week window across the district since the beginning of 2021, and (3) what is being done to ensure that these deadlines will be met in every case in future?

 

5.    Councillor Joan Clarke

Can the leader give an insight into the projects being considered for the Bradford South Levelling Up funding made available by the Government?

 

6.    Councillor Caroline Firth

Can you advise how we have supported residents affected by the recent flooding in the district?

 

7.    Councillor Simon Cunningham

What measures is the Council taking to ensure that our fantastic theatres and other civic venues are supporting local breweries, producers, and suppliers within their on-site bars, restaurants, and cafes?

 

8.    Councillor Mike Pollard

In view of the relatively mild winter, could the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport please indicate the likely Budget outturn for the 2021/22 Financial Year in respect of the Highway Winter Maintenance Service and respond to the suggestion that any underspend be re-directed to helping address Highways drainage/flooding issues?

 

9.    Councillor Paul Godwin

Is there any data on business closures versus new businesses opening since March 2020 in the district?

 

10.Councillor Aneela Ahmed

Can the Leader tell us what activities have taken place to mark International Women’s Day in the district this year?

 

11.Councillor Rebecca Whitaker

Please can the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport explain why Silsden is still divided into two separate zones with regard to payments under the Community Infrastructure Levy made by developers and can this now be reviewed?

 

12.Councillor Alun Griffiths

In answer to a question at the 12th October Council meeting I was informed that there were 582 cut down lighting columns in the district, 19 in Idle and Thackley ward. 15 weeks later at the January Council meeting I was informed that 4 of these had been replaced, but no figure was given for the totals for the district. Could I please have the current figures for the numbers of columns still awaiting replacement in the district as a whole and in Idle and Thackley Ward specifically.

In addition, how many ‘normal’ repairs are outstanding more than 4 weeks after the first date reported?

 

13.Councillor Richard Dunbar

Can you give a summary of all the events that were held in the district for LGBTQ+ History Month?

 

14.Councillor Nussrat Mohammed

Residents are being hit hard by rising energy bills and the cost of living crisis. Can we lobby government to do more to support people through it?

 

15.Councillor Debbie Davies

Although it may not be a statutory requirement would the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport agree that it is good practice and more transparent to put planning notices on lamp posts as was done pre-Covid, so that residents have a proper opportunity to comment if they so wish? 

 

16.Councillor Nussrat Mohammed

What more can be done to tackle the problem of untaxed and uninsured vehicles and getting them quickly towed away and off our roads so that they are not left abandoned and causing a nuisance to residents?

 

17.Councillor David Warburton

The storms over recent weeks have been very damaging for our communities across the region. In the district they have affected some communities that have rarely been affected before. Can you advise if Government are listening to West Yorkshire Combined Authority and their pitch for flood alleviation investment in our district?

 

18.Councillor Geoff Winnard

As speeding and dangerous driving on the A650 Bingley Bypass are matters of real concern to local residents, can the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport confirm whether he considers strategically placed speed cameras likely to help improve the situation?

 

19.Councillor David Warburton

What new levelling up investments and activities will Government deliver for the Bradford District as a result of its Levelling Up White Paper?

 

20.Councillor Hassan Khan

Can I have an update on how many Kickstart apprentices we have in the council and how many are now in the district as a whole?

 

21.Councillor Chris Herd

In light of reports from bereaved families, that the funerals or cremations of their loved ones have been delayed by up to 4 weeks, would the Leader of the Council please clarify the current average length of time for the deceased to be seen / examined and released for burial or cremation by the Coroner’s Service, along with details of any planned measures to reduce this, in order to alleviate the further distress being caused to bereaved families?

 

22.Councillor Matt Edwards

How many local exemptions for Bradford Clean Air Zone have been applied for, how many have been accepted and how many are currently awaiting a response?

 

23.Councillor Luke Majkowski

Can the portfolio holder give an update on the efforts the council are making to secure the future of Queensbury Tunnel as an active travel asset, specifically looking at funding opportunities missed, funding opportunities currently available and any future ambitions?

 

24.Councillor Mohammed Shafiq

How do the current attendance levels in the district’s primary and secondary schools compare with pre-pandemic, and what support are we giving families and schools to help children with adapting back to more regular schooling after the disruption they have faced this past two years?

 

25.Councillor Vanda Greenwood

How is our brilliant planting a tree for every child scheme progressing so far?

 

26.Councillor Debbie Davies

Please can the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, provide an update on any unspent S106 and CIL money per ward and what the process for allocating it is?

 

27.Councillor Susan Knox

Can the Portfolio Holder please explain what steps the Council is taken to ensure that Swim for all sessions are fully restored as soon as possible to ensure that no child is excluded from access to swimming session at Eccleshill Pool. Furthermore, what work is being done with West Yorkshire Police to ensure those individuals who are causing problems at the pool are both deterred and where necessary punished for their behaviour.

 

28.Councillor Doreen Lee

I am heartbroken about Dalton Mills burning down. Do we have more information about this terrible fire and the damage done to the historic building?

 

29.Councillor Angela Tait

Can you tell me more about the aims of the Living Well Schools programme and how it will be delivered?

 

30.Councillor Rebecca Whitaker

Could the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, please confirm; the annual amount of recyclates that have been rejected across the Bradford District since the reintroduction of “co-mingling”, comparable figures for a similar period when recyclates were separated, the comparable revenues generated and landfill / incineration costs resulting from the sale or disposal of recyclates throughout the aforementioned period of time?

 

31.Councillor Aneela Ahmed

What activities are being undertaken to support children with their mental health coming out of the pandemic, for example by the Educational Psychology team and our other services that work with children and young people?

 

32.Councillor Fozia Shaheen

What social/recreational activities are there for people with Learning Disabilities and Autism, for children and adults?

 

33.Councillor Debbie Davies

Please can the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, provide an update on the Draft Local Plan and what the next stages are?

 

34.Councillor Fozia Shaheen

The Council has invested additional money for children with SEND and I understand that this has resulted in an increase in the number of children getting an EHCP plan in the correct timeframe.  Once a child has an EHCP, how can we be sure that the plan is properly implemented by the school and that the support for that child is not affected if there is a high turnover of staff in the school?

 

35.Councillor Fozia Shaheen

Could the Portfolio Holder outline how many landlords are part of the Council’s Private Sector Lettings Scheme?

 

36.Councillor Debbie Davies

Given the recent news that Welcome to Yorkshire has gone into administration, would the Leader of the Council confirm how much funding has been provided to this organisation by Bradford Council?

 

37.Councillor Fozia Shaheen

Could the portfolio holder share how many Priority band residents across the district have been allocated a property within the last 3 years?

 

38.Councillor David Heseltine

As we have had yet more flooding in the district, would the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, please confirm what measures are being taken by the council and its partners, to ensure the future risk is minimised at the flood prone Castlefields, Old Main Street, Ferrands Lane and the Rugby Club in Bingley?

Details of the questions from Members to the Leader of Council and Portfolio Holders and the answers given had been circulated and published on the Council’s website.