Following the resolution of Full Council on 18 July 2017 to ask the Executive to implement a full ban on A-boards across the district preparatory work to produce the necessary policy and set up enforcement arrangements has been undertaken.  The report of the Strategic (Document “AH”) updates the Executive on these arrangements and seeks formal approval to the policy and its implementation.

This report has not been included on the published forward plan as an issue for consideration.  However it is impractical to defer the decision until it has been included in the published Forward Plan and the report is submitted in accordance with paragraph 10 of the Executive Procedure Rules set out in the Council’s Constitution.

Recommended-

(1)          That Executive:

a)            Approves the introduction of a total ban on the use of advertising boards on areas of adopted highway on a district wide basis.

b)            Approves the proposed Advertising Board policy and the arrangements for its advertisement, implementation and operation described in Document “AH”.

c)            Approves the proposed date of implementation of the ban of 1^st April 2018.

(2)          That a report outlining the effectiveness of the ban together with its financial costs be presented to the Health and Social Care Overview & Scrutiny Committee 12 months after the date of its implementation.

(Environment and Waste Management/Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committees)

                                                                        (Richard Gelder – 01274 437603)

Following the resolution of Full Council on 18 July 2017 to ask the Executive to implement a full ban on A-boards across the district, preparatory work to produce the necessary policy and set up enforcement arrangements had been undertaken.  The report of the Strategic Director of Place (Document “AH”) updated the Executive on these arrangements and sought formal approval to the policy and its implementation.

This report had not been included on the published forward plan as an issue for consideration.  However it was impractical to defer the decision until it had been included in the published Forward Plan and the report was submitted in accordance with paragraph 10 of the Executive Procedure Rules set out in the Council’s Constitution.

The Strategic Director of Place advised members that it was proposed to use Community Protection Notices under the Anti Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to deal with repeat offenders.  A trigger of 2 instances of repeat offending by a business was proposed before the council would move to the formal process.  The Council would issue a fixed Penalty notice of not more than £100 for failure to comply with the notice.  He added that it was proposed to use the Business Rates Notices to notify business of the introduction of the ban which would be implemented on 1 April 2018.

The Regeneration, Planning and Transport Portfolio Holder acknowledged the difficulty in reaching a solution to the issue and stressed that all sides of the debate had been listened to and that the proposal had received cross party support at full Council.  He added that businesses needed to be given as much notice of the ban as possible.

A representative of RNIB attended the meeting and congratulated the Council on it’s approach to pavement displays.  He was a resident of Bradford and worked with a lot of other cities and he commended Bradford on taking the issue of pavement displays seriously.  He congratulated the Strategic Disability Partnership on it’s involvement in progressing this issue.  He urged the Council to put a clear highway policy at the heart of it’s decision making.

A member of the Strategic Disability Partnership attended the meeting and commended that ban on pavement displays which would be beneficial to everyone and not just people with disabilities.

The Chair of the Bradford and District Disabled Forum People’s Forum attended the meeting and congratulated the council on proposing a full ban on pavement displays.  He asked how the ban would be enforced in the current financial climate.  The Regeneration, Planning and Transport Portfolio Holder responded that enforcement would be dealt with in accordance with the policy.

A Councillor who was Chair of the Strategic Disability Partnership attended the meeting and raised the following:

·         The letter to businesses referred to a advertising boards and pavement obstructions

·         The implementation date should be earlier than 1 April for example 1 January.

·         What has happened about the pilot schemes?

The Regeneration, Planning and Transport Portfolio Holder responded that the Business Rates Notice was a cost effective way of notifying all businesses of the ban.  After the 12 month trial ban ended the areas in question reverted back to the previous policy. 

Resolved-

(1)             That the introduction of a total ban on the use of advertising boards on areas of adopted highway on a district wide basis be approved.

(2)             That the proposed Advertising Board policy and the arrangements for its advertisement, implementation and operation described in Document “AH” be approved.

(3)             That the proposed date of implementation of the ban of 1^st April 2018 be approved.

(4)             That a report outlining the effectiveness of the ban together with its financial costs be presented to the Health and Social Care Overview & Scrutiny Committee 12 months after the date of its implementation.

ACTION: Strategic Director of Place

NOTE: Councillors Jabar and Khan left the meeting during consideration and voting on the following item having declared a pecuniary interest.