Previous Reference: Minute 75 (2016-17)

The Strategic Director, Place will present a report (Document “AJ”) which outlines progress on the on-going collaboration between officers and Friends of Bradford’s Becks over the last year.

Recommended –

(1)  That the Friends of Bradford’s Becks and the Strategic Director, Place be requested to work jointly on studies and proposals for the Canal Road Area.

(2)  That the Friends of Bradford’s Becks be invited to report back in a year’s time.

(3)  That Document “AJ” be noted and that the on-going collaboration between officers and the Friends of Bradford’s Becks be supported.

Edward Norfolk – 01274 433905

The Strategic Director, Place presented a report (Document “AJ”) which outlined progress on the on-going collaboration between officers and Friends of Bradford’s Becks over the last year.

The report revealed a number of developments involving Council Officers and the Friends of Bradford’s Becks including that the Bradford Flood Programme Board had secured local levy funding to help deliver aspirations and work progressed during 2017/18 including:-

• Development of a River Stewardship Programme to create a sustainable and active network of citizens looking after Bradford’s rivers.

• The Shipley Canal Road Corridor Flood Risk and Benefits Study nearing completion with the final study due to be published in April 2018 which would outline the Strategic Outline Case for the renaturalisation works and the measures to be taken to proceed the project to a Full Business Case to attract funds to implement the proposals at that location.

• The BEGIN (Blue/Green Infrastructure through social innovation) supporting the aspirations of the Council’s Green Infrastructure Study and increasing community awareness of the Beck and its catchment.

• The establishment of a Pollution Prevention Working Group to tackle the on-going historic pollution and ecological concerns about the water quality and embankment quality within Bradford Beck.

• The Open Data Institute Leeds in conjunction with the Council’s continuation to maintain the LoRaWAN (long range wide area network) coverage of the City Centre and Canal Road corridor being established to facilitate three sensors in measuring water levels on Bradford Beck and its tributaries. 

A summary of the Friends of Bradford’s Becks activities 2017-18 was appended to Document “AJ” and a representative of the group addressed the meeting to talk about those actions. 

He explained that multiple pollution activities had been followed up by the Environment Agency and approximately half of those had been resolved.  An incident where frequent curry pollution was occurring had been identified as emanating from a food preparation facility which was found to have west pipes plumbed directly into Westbrook had now been solved

Details about the Miss Connection educational project were provided including visits to primary schools and conveying the message about the importance of only putting rain down the drain were provided.

The production of a 32 page booklet identifying six walks around the becks was reported and it was explained that despite distributing 4000 copies there were still some available for interested parties.  Fund raising activities were being conducted to raise funds for sign posts to make the walks more visible to residents.

An employee of the Aire Rivers Trust addressed the meeting to explain his role with the trust to develop stewardship around the River Aire.  He explained his aim to replicate work around the district to complement and enhance the activities of the Aire Rivers Trust/FOBB and to look at flood resistance and community awareness.  Flyers to promote that work were tabled.

The report revealed that, following eight years of lobbying by the FOBB, a project to review the capacity of Bradford Sewers would be included in Yorkshire Waters next investment period (2020-2025) subject to approval by OFWAT. 

Members questioned if action would be undertaken where an issue was found with sewer capacity and where the funding for such works would be sought.  It was explained that a working group with the Council and Yorkshire Water had been established to consider that complex issue.  There was also a new permits programme by the Environment Agency regarding sewer overflow.  Assurances were provided that the Council, Yorkshire Water and Environment Agency were working in partnership.

The necessity to educate and involve young people in projects about Bradford’s becks was acknowledged.  Members questioned if the Miss Connection project would continue but were advised that the funding, a one off grant, had ceased.  Assurances were provided that funding opportunities continued to be sought for this and other worthwhile projects.   It was explained that the FOBB would like to see Bradford’s becks treated as assets to the city.  It was maintained these were not treated as rivers and that there were issues that would not be tolerated if they were visible.

A Member suggested working with schools to create learning packages to collect data and bring the beck’s back to life.  In response it was explained that because of the constraints of the national curriculum it was difficult to introduce the topic.  Following discussions around the ways the issues could be crafted into the national curriculum Members were advised that penalties which the Environment Agency applied to polluters may be utilised.  A scheme being developed to provide fishing passes at three large weirs in West Yorkshire was reported and it was explained that one of the locations was at Salts Mill.

It was questioned where the Local Levy Fund had originated and explained that this funding was from the Regional Flood Risk and Coastal Committee.  Following the Boxing Day 2015 floods a successful approach had been made to that committee for £850k to allow the development of studies and work to alleviate floods.

In summary the Chair referred to the first time the FOBB had attended the committee where they had expressed concern about a lack of cooperation from the Council.  He believed that over the years that position had changed and the Council did now recognise that groups of experts were doing great work in the district and this was now being conducted with the support of Council officers.  He hoped that the relationship developed would continue for many years to come.  

Resolved –

(1)  That the Friends of Bradford’s Becks and the Strategic Director, Place be requested to work jointly on studies and proposals for the Canal Road Area.

(2)  That the Friends of Bradford’s Becks be thanked for their work and invited to report back in a year’s time.

(3)  That Document “AJ” be welcomed and that the on-going collaboration between officers and the Friends of Bradford’s Becks be supported.

ACTION: Strategic Director, Place