Local democracy

Decisions

Use the below search options at the bottom of the page to find information regarding recent decisions that have been taken by the council’s decision making bodies.

Alternatively you can visit the officer decisions page for information on officer delegated decisions that have been taken by council officers.

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Decisions published

14/10/2021 - ANNUAL UPDATE ON ROAD SAFETY EDUCATION, TRAINING AND PUBLICITY IN THE BRADFORD DISTRICT ref: 4485    Recommendations Approved

Decision Maker: Keighley Area Committee

Made at meeting: 14/10/2021 - Keighley Area Committee

Decision published: 19/10/2021

Effective from: 14/10/2021

Decision:

Resolved –

 

1.    That the evidence based approach to determining Road Safety priorities continues to be supported.

 

2.    That the Strategic Director, Place, be requested to include in the next annual report to the Committee, details of schools not engaging in the Road Safety Education and Training initiatives and plans to attract those schools which are historically disengaged.

 

3.    That the Strategic Director, Place, be requested to provide the most current data, on an individual ward basis, for road casualties in the Keighley constituency.

 

ACTION: Strategic Director Place

 


14/10/2021 - PUBLIC QUESTION TIME ref: 4486    Recommendations Approved

Decision Maker: Keighley Area Committee

Made at meeting: 14/10/2021 - Keighley Area Committee

Decision published: 19/10/2021

Effective from: 14/10/2021

Decision:

Resolved –

 

That the Strategic Director, Place, be requested to provide a written response to the four public questions submitted.

 

ACTION: Strategic Director Place

 


14/10/2021 - REFERRALS TO THE COMMITTEE ref: 4484    Recommendations Approved

Decision Maker: Keighley Area Committee

Made at meeting: 14/10/2021 - Keighley Area Committee

Decision published: 19/10/2021

Effective from: 14/10/2021

Decision:

Resolved –

 

That the Strategic Director, Place, be requested to provide a report, to the meeting scheduled for 25 November 2021, on the options available to the Committee with regard to the left turn only signs in an endeavour to improve the junction along North Street, Keighley. 

 

ACTION: Strategic Director Place

 


12/10/2021 - NOTICES OF MOTION (Standing Order 17) ref: 4478    Recommendations Approved

Decision Maker: Council

Made at meeting: 12/10/2021 - Council

Decision published: 15/10/2021

Effective from: 12/10/2021

Decision:

Resolved – That the following notices of motion (with amendments) be approved:

 

12.1 – West Yorkshire Pension Fund – Independent Divestment Review

 

Moved by: Councillor Angela Tait

 

Seconded by: Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe

 

Council notes:

 

  • Calls for an independent divestment review of West Yorkshire Pension Fund’s investments in fossil fuel energy assets.
  • Bradford Council formally declared a ‘Climate Emergency’ in January 2019, and as a member of the Leeds City Region (LCR) Climate Coalition, has formally committed to achieving a net zero carbon LCR “by 2038, with significant progress by 2030”.
  • The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warning in August 2021 that “Global warming of 1.5°C and 2.0°C will be exceeded during the 21st century unless deep reductions in carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas emissions occur in the coming decades.”
  • Achieving net zero will require an unprecedented transformation of economy and society, including a massive shift to renewable energy and away from fossil fuels.
  • That a transition to low carbon and renewable energy is already underway, driven by policy, technology and investment. Although currently the pace and magnitude of this transition falls short of that which is necessary to achieve the aims of the Paris Agreement.
  • That Climate Change poses wide ranging financial and investment risk across all industry and business sectors as well as an existential risk, that particular concerns arise in respect to fossil fuel energy and that continued long-term investment in this area carries with it some significant financial risks.
  • Bradford Council is the administering authority for the West Yorkshire Pension Fund (WYPF) and WYPF has investments in the fossil fuel energy sector.
  • The concerns, both financial and ethical, of stakeholders in WYPF over its holdings in fossil fuel energy companies.

 

Council further notes:

 

  • WYPF is a pension provider for almost 300,000 members, and 423 employers. The value of the Fund at March 31, 2021, was £16.3billion.
  • The fund has specifically recognised climate change as a risk to its investments and has committed to a net-zero portfolio by 2050 or sooner and to implementing this with the aim of achieving real economy emissions reductions.
  • Within the last year WYPF received a report commissioned from AON specifically on climate related investment risks and this was used in the development of the Fund’s strategic asset allocation.
  • WYPF is signed-up to the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC) Net Zero commitment statement. This includes setting an interim target for 2030 or sooner for reducing Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions associated with its portfolios and setting a target for increasing investment in climate solutions, consistent with a fair share of the 50% global reduction in CO2 identified as a requirement in the IPCC special report on global warming.
  • WYPF’s investments in renewable energy assets, technology and sustainable infrastructure has increased by 44% in the last two years. Currently it stands at £708m, with a further £262m committed awaiting drawdown. This is far in excess of is holdings in non-renewable energy.
  • WYPF is a signatory to Climate Action 100+, an investor initiative to ensure the world’s largest corporate greenhouse gas emitters take necessary action on climate change. The fund also plans to lend its support to the Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI).

 

Council recognises that:

 

  • The primary obligation of WYPF is to meet current and future member benefits requirements and that it aims to do this whilst keeping employer contributions as low and as stable as possible.
  • Bradford is the administering authority for WYPF. It has established an Investment Advisory Panel (IAP) comprising elected members from the five District Councils of West Yorkshire, trade union and fund member representatives, officers and independent advisors, to set the investment strategy and have oversight of investment decisions.
  • Pension regulations require the Board members of any pension fund to act in the best financial interests of the members.
  • To meet its primary obligation various categories of investment are used by WYPF to meet the required return, spread over a large and diversified portfolio to mitigate risks.
  • WYPF is internally managed and the annualised return of the Fund over one, three, five and ten years is 23.2%, 6.8%, 9.2% and 7.7% respectively. A performance above the Fund Specific Benchmark in all four periods.
  • At £41.94 per member, WYPF has the lowest total cost per member in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). The LGPS average is £245.41 and the highest is £829.30.
  • Investment policy changes can have a material impact, positive or negative, for the employers in the scheme, and so the manner and timing of such changes must be judged with care, skill, prudence and diligence.

 

Council resolves to recommend that the WYPF:

 

a)    Acknowledge, respond and act on the concerns, both financial and ethical, of its stakeholders over its holdings in fossil fuel energy companies.

b)    Take positive steps to wind-down its holdings in fossil fuel energy assets in a manner and timescale that is consistent with:

 

a. its primary obligation and not risking material financial detriment to the Fund.

b. its commitment to achieving a net-zero portfolio by 2050 or sooner.

 

c)    Implement its commitment to a net-zero portfolio, using its leverage as an investor, both individually and collectively, with the aim of achieving real economy emissions reductions.

d)    Make a further commitment to significant progress towards net-zero by 2030, in recognition of the LCR Climate Coalition goals.

e)    Report annually on progress of b), c) and d) above

 

12.2 – Climate Emergency

 

Moved by: Councillor Sarah Ferriby

 

Seconded by: Councillor Caroline Firth

 

Council notes:

 

a)     the Sixth Assessment Report published by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in August 2021, which states that “Global warming of 1.5°C and 2°C will be exceeded during the 21st century unless deep reductions in carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas emissions occur in the coming decades”;

b)    the critical importance of the UN COP26 climate summit – November 2021 and related national policy and spending including the UK Net Zero Strategy;

c)    the progress made since 2010 in reducing the Council’s own greenhouse gas emissions, down from 88,302 tonnes CO2e in 2009/10 to 47,446 tonnes CO2e in 2018/19 (the most recent municipal year that includes data for the district’s schools);

d)    our declaration of a ‘climate emergency’ in January 2019 and October 2019 endorsement of WY Climate Pledge: to reach net-zero carbon by 2038 and making ‘significant progress’ by 2030;

e)    Sustainability, climate action and resilience are priorities in the adopted Council Plan 2021-25 and District Plan, their implementation and performance management. This takes forward the Sustainable Development Action Plan (2020-2021; and its roll-over into 2021-22 due to Covid-19);

f)     The adopted and shared Covid-19 Economic Recovery Plan sets out significant measures to support sustainable development and this will be taken forward through a Clean Growth strategy for Bradford District;

g)    We are investing £25m this year and £1m in revenue specifically on climate emergency and related issues but in addition we recognise that our commitments to sustainability in general have resulted in many policy changes and projects that are being embedded across the whole organisation. Schemes include but are not limited to: Fleet replacement, an alternative fuel centre at Bowling Back Lane, active travel (including walking, cycling, safer streets – through lockdown and as part of WY shared plans eg City Connect), 50 grassroots climate action projects funded across all give constituencies, support to Bradford Community Energy to back local renewable energy and energy efficiency, ongoing work around recycling, reducing food waste, reducing our single-use plastics, being the planning authority and a partner in major ‘green economy’ developments such as Esholt, the ongoing rolling programme of retrofitting of our buildings, development of the housing strategy partnership implementation, replacement of our central food processing unit with a new facility at Mitre Court, partnering with anchor institutions on the Sustainable Development Partnership Board, flagship investments such as Darley Street Market, Keighley and Shipley Towns Fund capital initiatives to improve active travel and the public realm, district heat and solar schemes, smart street lighting, blue/green infrastructure and nature-based solutions (Harden Moor, Ilkley Moor, Aire and Worth flood risk management, Horton Park, etc.).

 

Council further notes that:

 

h)    In June 2019, the UK Government passed legislation committing it to achieving ‘net zero’ greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This is significantly more challenging than government’s previous target to reduce net emissions by 80% compared with 1990 levels by 2050.  In its December 2020 report, Achieving Net Zero, the National Audit Office NAO highlighted that local authorities will have a critical part to play. Bradford Council stands as the UK’s leading clean growth city district, committed to sustainable development and climate action.

i)     The NAO highlight that there are serious weaknesses in central government’s approach to working with local authorities on decarbonisation and climate action, stemming from a lack of clarity over local authorities’ overall roles, piecemeal funding, and diffuse accountabilities. This remains a non-statutory area of work for local government. This hampers local authorities’ ability to plan effectively for the long-term, build skills and capacity, and prioritise effort. It creates significant risks to value for money as spending is likely to increase quickly. Bradford Council and local partners stand ready to work with Government departments to address these challenges and bring forward commercial investment, public-private partnerships and community action to decarbonise, enhance resilience and support a just transition.

j)     Climate Action and resilience are regional challenges and we will work with our partners across West Yorkshire, Yorkshire and the Humber and the North to effectively deliver positive, lasting change.

k)     Bradford Council supports the Race to Zero ambition and will work with businesses and other partners to prepare for and accelerate progress on decarbonisation and sustainable development from COP26 through to 2030.

 

Council therefore resolves to:

 

1)    Continue working towards the outcomes and priorities in our Council Plan, District Plan, other key strategies and critically develop a robust, investment focussed clean growth strategy for Bradford District.

2)    Work with the Elected Mayor for West Yorkshire, WYCA, the other four local authorities and key partners to work at pace and scale on eliminating fossil fuel use, decarbonisation at pace and scale (across buildings, power, industry, land use and land use change and transport) and environmental resilience and nature recovery.

3)    Call on Government, private sector investors and developers to co-invest with us as the UK’s leading clean growth city district; extending beyond net zero target setting and towards robust plans for investment and delivery that unlocks levelling up and secures social, economic, environmental and health outcomes for the whole population of Bradford District.

4)    That the Leader of Council writes to our Bradford District MPs, to Alok Sharma MP (President of COP26) and to the Prime Minister, calling for the Government to a) co-invest in Bradford District as the UK’s leading clean growth city district; b) directly support the Race to Zero.

 

12.3 – Local Electricity Bill

 

Moved by: Councillor Alun Griffiths

 

Seconded by: Councillor Rachel Sunderland

 

That City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council

 

(i)            Acknowledges the efforts that this Council has made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote renewable energy;

(ii)          Further recognises:

  • that very large financial setup and running costs involved in selling locally generated renewable electricity to local customers result in it being impossible for local renewable electricity generators to do so,
  • that making these financial costs proportionate to the scale of a renewable electricity supplier’s operation would create significant opportunities for local companies, community groups and councils to be providers of locally generated renewable electricity directly to local people, businesses and organisations, if they wished, and
  • that revenues received by such local companies, community groups or councils that chose to become local renewable electricity providers could be used to help improve the local economy, local services and facilities and to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions;

(iii)         Notes that the Parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee, as a result of its 2021 Technological Innovations and Climate Change inquiry, recommended that a Right to Local Supply for local energy suppliers be established to address this;

(iv)         Accordingly resolves to support the Local Electricity Bill, currently supported by a cross-party group of 264 MPs and which, if made law, would establish a Right to Local Supply which would promote local renewable electricity supply by making the setup and running costs of selling renewable electricity to local customers proportionate to the size of the supply company; and

(v)          Further resolves to:

·    inform the local media of this decision,

·    write to local MPs, asking them to support the Bill, and

  • write to the organisers of the campaign for the Bill, Power for People, (at Camden Collective, 5-7 Buck Street, London NW1 8NJ or info@powerforpeople.org.uk) expressing its support.

 

12.4 – Fossil Fuels

 

Moved by: Councillor Angela Tait

 

Seconded by: Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe

 

Council notes:

 

  • Calls for an independent divestment review of West Yorkshire Pension Fund’s investments in fossil fuel energy assets.
  • Bradford Council formally declared a ‘Climate Emergency’ in January 2019, and as a member of the Leeds City Region (LCR) Climate Coalition, has formally committed to achieving a net zero carbon LCR “by 2038, with significant progress by 2030”.
  • The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warning in August 2021 that “Global warming of 1.5°C and 2.0°C will be exceeded during the 21st century unless deep reductions in carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas emissions occur in the coming decades.”
  • Achieving net zero will require an unprecedented transformation of economy and society, including a massive shift to renewable energy and away from fossil fuels.
  • That a transition to low carbon and renewable energy is already underway, driven by policy, technology and investment. Although currently the pace and magnitude of this transition falls short of that which is necessary to achieve the aims of the Paris Agreement.
  • That Climate Change poses wide ranging financial and investment risk across all industry and business sectors as well as an existential risk, that particular concerns arise in respect to fossil fuel energy and that continued long-term investment in this area carries with it some significant financial risks.
  • Bradford Council is the administering authority for the West Yorkshire Pension Fund (WYPF) and WYPF has investments in the fossil fuel energy sector.
  • The concerns, both financial and ethical, of stakeholders in WYPF over its holdings in fossil fuel energy companies.

 

Council further notes:

 

  • WYPF is a pension provider for almost 300,000 members, and 423 employers. The value of the Fund at March 31, 2021, was £16.3billion.
  • The fund has specifically recognised climate change as a risk to its investments and has committed to a net-zero portfolio by 2050 or sooner and to implementing this with the aim of achieving real economy emissions reductions.
  • Within the last year WYPF received a report commissioned from AON specifically on climate related investment risks and this was used in the development of the Fund’s strategic asset allocation.
  • WYPF is signed-up to the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC) Net Zero commitment statement. This includes setting an interim target for 2030 or sooner for reducing Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions associated with its portfolios and setting a target for increasing investment in climate solutions, consistent with a fair share of the 50% global reduction in CO2 identified as a requirement in the IPCC special report on global warming.
  • WYPF’s investments in renewable energy assets, technology and sustainable infrastructure has increased by 44% in the last two years. Currently it stands at £708m, with a further £262m committed awaiting drawdown. This is far in excess of is holdings in non-renewable energy.
  • WYPF is a signatory to Climate Action 100+, an investor initiative to ensure the world’s largest corporate greenhouse gas emitters take necessary action on climate change. The fund also plans to lend its support to the Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI).

 

Council recognises that:

 

  • The primary obligation of WYPF is to meet current and future member benefits requirements and that it aims to do this whilst keeping employer contributions as low and as stable as possible.
  • Bradford is the administering authority for WYPF. It has established an Investment Advisory Panel (IAP) comprising elected members from the five District Councils of West Yorkshire, trade union and fund member representatives, officers and independent advisors, to set the investment strategy and have oversight of investment decisions.
  • Pension regulations require the Board members of any pension fund to act in the best financial interests of the members.
  • To meet its primary obligation various categories of investment are used by WYPF to meet the required return, spread over a large and diversified portfolio to mitigate risks.
  • WYPF is internally managed and the annualised return of the Fund over one, three, five and ten years is 23.2%, 6.8%, 9.2% and 7.7% respectively. A performance above the Fund Specific Benchmark in all four periods.
  • At £41.94 per member, WYPF has the lowest total cost per member in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). The LGPS average is £245.41 and the highest is £829.30.
  • Investment policy changes can have a material impact, positive or negative, for the employers in the scheme, and so the manner and timing of such changes must be judged with care, skill, prudence and diligence.

 

Council resolves to recommend that the WYPF:

 

f)     Acknowledge, respond and act on the concerns, both financial and ethical, of its stakeholders over its holdings in fossil fuel energy companies.

g)    Take positive steps to wind-down its holdings in fossil fuel energy assets in a manner and timescale that is consistent with:

 

a. its primary obligation and not risking material financial detriment to the Fund.

b. its commitment to achieving a net-zero portfolio by 2050 or sooner.

 

h)    Implement its commitment to a net-zero portfolio, using its leverage as an investor, both individually and collectively, with the aim of achieving real economy emissions reductions.

i)     Make a further commitment to significant progress towards net-zero by 2030, in recognition of the LCR Climate Coalition goals.

j)     Report annually on progress of b), c) and d) above

 

12.5 – Protecting Women and Girls from Sexual Assault

 

Moved by: Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe

 

Seconded by: Councillor Abdul Jabar

 

Council notes:

 

  1. That in 2019/2020, 4.9 million women were victims of sexual assault in England and Wales, according to the Office for National Statistics, a third of 16–18-year-old girls reported experiencing unwanted sexual touching at school, according to End Violence Against Women.
  2. The pandemic has made the situation worse with an increased demand for victim's services, ONS indicators showing that the severity of abuse has increased, 1 in 5 girls aged between 14-21 have experienced public sexual harassment and many more girls are at risk of Female genital mutilation.
  3.  The justice system is failing many victims of crime with only 2.4% of rape cases ending in conviction, three out of four cases of domestic violence ending without charge.
  4. Those from minority backgrounds experience domestic violence disproportionately.
  5.  Despite the scale of the problem, the Prime Minister has so far rejected calls for misogyny to be re-categorised as a hate crime.  Council believes that everyone, regardless of identity has the right to live a life free from fear and violence.

 

Council welcomes the Mayor of West Yorkshire’s statement that "more needs to be done to improve the safety of women and girls" and that this work is one of her key pledges.

 

Council notes that in August this year Tracy Brabin, West Yorkshire’s Mayor launched a call for evidence on the safety of women and girls. The findings of this review will feed into her forthcoming Police and Crime Plan.

 

Council notes that the Leader instructed Council officers, as a result of the Mayor’s call for evidence, to produce a report to submit to this review

 

Council notes that a number of sessions were held to garner views on the safety of women and girls and these views will be fed through to the West Yorkshire Mayor and the Community Safety Partnership here in Bradford.

 

Council therefore resolves to:

 

  1. Write to the Mayor thanking her for the increased focus she is giving this important subject and backing the call for misogyny to be a hate crime.
  2. Ask the Portfolio Holder in his role as Chair of the Community Safety Partnership to consider the findings produced from Bradford District sessions and work with the partnership to advise what more might be done locally.
  3. Send the Bradford findings to the West Yorkshire Mayor so that it might influence the drafting of the Police and Crime Plan which will be presented to the Police and Crime Panel by the Mayor early in the New Year.
  4. This work to be submitted to Corporate Scrutiny Review when the Community Safety Partnership goes for their annual review in December.

 

12.6 – Implementing the CSE Safeguarding Review

 

Moved by: Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe

 

Seconded by: Councillor Sue Duffy

 

Council notes the publication of the Thematic Child Sexual Exploitation Child Practice Safeguarding Review commissioned by the Chair of the former Bradford Safeguarding Children Board prior to the establishment of the current Bradford Partnership and carried out by Clare Hyde of the Foundation for Families.

 

Council thanks everyone who participated in the review.

 

Council thanks the survivors of child sexual exploitation who contributed to the review often reliving difficult and traumatic experiences.

 

Council welcomes and notes the actions being taken to embed the learning from the review into practice.

 

Council recognises the important task before it to ensure that all are children are safe. That there has been considerable work in the district in relation to CSE there are "still lessons that need to be learned and the responses to victims of this complex crime is not yet good enough in all cases".

 

Council accepts the recommendations of the review and is committed to carrying them out in full. Council welcomes the creation of an All-Party Council Group within the Children’s Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee where individual Councillors and organisations can come together to ensure that the recommendations of the review are implemented.

 

12.7 – Children’s Services

 

Moved by: Councillor Kyle Green

 

Seconded by: Councillor Russell Brown

 

Council notes that:

 

There have been negative findings via a number of external inspections of various parts of Children’s Services, spanning over many years’ now.

 

The Council and partner agencies in our District have made mistakes in

the past.

 

It is regrettably the case that a number of key recommendations made

by inspectors have been accepted, but not routinely implemented,

leaving potential for further mistakes.

 

It is also regrettable that the pace of implementing improvements

relating to recruitment and retention etc. are less than ideal, again

undermining the performance of Children’s Services

 

Council resolves:

 

To welcome the appointment of a Commissioner to examine how best

to the provide the wide range of services that Bradford Council

provides to local children.

 

To ensure that the Council promptly implements any recommendations

brought forward by the Commissioner and provides all support required.

 

12.8 – COP26: A moment for action

 

Moved by: Councillor Sarah Ferriby

 

Seconded by: Councillor Caroline Firth

 

Council notes that:

 

  • COP26 comes at a vital moment in the battle to address the climate emergency. This is a watershed moment that scientists claim is our last-gasp hope of keeping global warming under 1.5C.
  • Bradford Council as well as many other local councils and the UK Government have declared a climate emergency.
  • Addressing the climate emergency will require action to be taken by every nation on Earth, although we recognise the most affluent countries should bear the burden of the cost to support the poorest countries, which are suffering the most. The impact of the climate emergency, if left unchecked, will be devastating for every single country around the world.
  • COP26 presents an opportunity for the UK to commit to policies, legislation, partnership working and funding (including devolved funding) in the battle to address the climate emergency.
  • The Government has been working tirelessly to ensure that COP26 can go ahead despite the challenges of the pandemic.
  • That the time for action was yesterday.

 

Council resolves:

 

  1. To continue to work with the Government to promote active travel schemes across the district.
  2. To continue to encourage businesses, entrepreneurs, researchers and others in the District to continue to help deliver innovative technological progress that will help reduce carbon emissions such as electric or hydrogen vehicles.
  3. To support the UK Government's ambition to drive global action on climate change at COP26.
  4. To continue to work to address the climate emergency by continuing to direct our policies towards sustainability and continuing to invest in a range of infrastructure and community initiatives that will help Bradford Council and West Yorkshire to meet its climate action targets.
  5. To set out detailed carbon emission reduction targets as soon as the Government provides clarity on policies, legislation and associated funding to tackle the climate emergency. In the meantime, we will continue to reduce our carbon emissions and remain focused on becoming a sustainable district.

 

12.9 – Fireworks

 

Moved by: Councillor Abdul Jabar

 

Seconded by: Councillor Nazam Azam

 

Council notes that:

 

  • All Councillors are frustrated by the indiscriminate use of fireworks at all hours. This disrupts people’s sleep, makes people anxious and frightens pets.
  • The Council’s Corporate Scrutiny committee has conducted a review of fireworks and what can be done nationally and locally to better regulate their use and this has been published.
  • It is only legal to sell Category 2 & 3 Fireworks, designed for domestic use (available only to adults over 18) for less than 40 specific days per year, other than via specifically regulated outlets.
  • Category 4 fireworks can legally only be purchased and used by professionals.
  • You can be fined up to £5,000 and imprisoned for up to 6 months for selling or using fireworks illegally.

 

Council resolves:

 

  • To thank the Chair of Corporate Scrutiny and the cross party committee for all their work on putting the review together.
  • To adopt in full all the recommendations from the review including:

 

Ask National Government to change the law and:

 

  • Reduce the noise levels of all categories of fireworks;
  • Stop the sale of the more powerful fireworks, such as category 3 and 4;
  • To compel individuals who sell fireworks to have a licence, which demonstrates that they are a fit and proper person to be able to sell fireworks;
  • Instigate a Private Members Bill to discuss the licensing, planning and legislation arrangements in place, relating to fireworks.

 

Local Government to:

 

  • Better communicate with residents so they clearly know what the law is regarding fireworks;
  • Promote the use of noiseless or low noise fireworks;
  • Be clear about how people can complain about the inappropriate use of fireworks and under age selling of fireworks;
  • Education and prevention work with communities across the District, in relation to the inappropriate and dangerous use of fireworks;
  • Exploring arranging organised firework events across the District;
  • Examining planning and licensing rules for events venues using fireworks.

 

12.10 – Councillors putting Children and Young People at the heart of

everything we do

 

Moved by: Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe

 

Seconded by: Councillor Sue Duffy

 

Bradford Council is committed to ensuring that all the District’s children

have the best possible start in life.

 

Caring for and safeguarding the District’s vulnerable children is a critically important part of the Council’s work and one of its greatest responsibilities. We share Ofsted’s and the DfE’s concern that the Council’s Children’s services need to improve faster and that the Council needs to do better for our Looked After Children in particular.

 

We welcome the Government Commissioner and the expertise he brings from Leeds Children’s Services.  He will be here for three months and write a report with recommendations to Government on our progress. We will use the opportunity to learn from his experience and implement any improvements he identifies.

 

As Bradford Councillors and good parents we need to have high aspirations for all of our children. We have a duty to work proactively with our statutory partners in Health and Police as well as other agencies to ensure children and young people in our care have opportunities to flourish and thrive in all aspects of their lives.

 

As Councillors we have a legislative responsibility under:

 

  • The Children’s Act 1989
  • The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations (2010)
  • The Care Leavers Regulations (2010)
  • The Children and Social Work Act (2017)

 

Putting children at the heart of all we do means that their voice will shape the mindset and culture of every part of our Council and how we carry out all of our services and functions. To achieve this as Councillors we all must:

 

  • act in the best interests, and promote the physical and mental health and well-being, of those children and young people encourage those children and young people to express their views, wishes and feelings
  • take into account the views, wishes and feelings of those children and young people
  • help those children and young people gain access to, and make the best use of, services provided by the local authority and its relevant partners
  • promote high aspirations, and seek to secure the best outcomes, for those children and young people
  • ensure their safety, enable stability in their home lives, relationships and education or work; and
  • prepare those children and young people for adulthood and independent living.

 

As an organisation these principles apply to all aspects of the Council’s work including education, social care, transport, housing, libraries, leisure and recreation and council tax.

 

This Council therefore resolves to:

 

  • Work with the Commissioner, Ofsted and the DFE to accelerate improvement for all children supported by Children’s Services.
  • Champion and advocate the voice of children and young people in our care.
  • Encourage councillors to provide jobs and work experience opportunities in our businesses and workplaces alongside provision from the Council.
  • Ensure young people leaving care have safe and quality accommodation.
  • Provide opportunities to engage in sports and cultural activities.
  • Ensure excellent access to health services for our children.
  • Secure high quality educational provision for our children.
  • Build positive relationships between local Councillors and children’s homes in their ward.
  • Enable councillors to engage in ongoing member training to be able to carry out their work effectively.
  • Communicate with and support care leavers, foster carers and adoptive parents across the District.

 

12.11 – Bradford district calls on the Government to properly fund adult social care

 

Moved by: Councillor Sarah Ferriby

 

Seconded by: Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe

 

This Council thanks and recognises the professionalism and dedication of the District’s social care workforce and their invaluable work in supporting and caring for some of our most vulnerable residents, particularly during the pandemic. We also recognise and thank those unpaid carers, family members and friends of vulnerable people, who work tirelessly to care for those they love without financial reward.

 

The Council notes the Government’s announcement on Adult Social Care last month and having looked at that announcement now in detail can only conclude that after 6 years of waiting, the Government has no plan for how to fund Adult Social Care in this country. There is no plan.

 

The Council notes that:

 

  • The demand for and costs of social care continue to rise.
  • Care homes and home care providers face a recruitment and retention challenge because wages are not competitive enough.
  • Good care requires a workforce to match yet nationally up to 10% of all roles could be vacant by the end of this year.
  • The very care workers we value and rely on so much could actually be worse off because of the Government’s plans to increase National Insurance.
  • The Government has announced no additional funding for social care delivery for councils next year at all.
  • The Government are taking unpaid carers for granted with no increase in the carers’ allowance, yet they save the Government more than the annual budget for the NHS every year.
  • The Government’s proposals are completely silent on support for working age adults – those citizens with learning disabilities and physical disabilities who will need support throughout their whole life. The budget for working age adults is approximately 50% of the entire adult social care budget.

 

Council resolves to:

 

  1. Put on record our thanks to all those people working hard as part of the District’s social care work force or as unpaid carers who serve vulnerable residents.
  2. Work with other Councils to speak out about the fact that there is no plan for Adult Social Care funding in this country.
  3. Within the constraints of financial hardship on councils provide the best possible care to our vulnerable adult residents enabling them to stay healthy and at home for as long as possible. Bradford District residents deserve the best.

 

The Council calls on Government to:

 

  • Deliver the investment needed to meet urgent short-term priorities without the need to increase the burden on hard pressed Council tax payers.
  • Provide clarity on how they suggest Adult Social Care is going to be funded in the short to medium term.
  • Ensure additional funding is distributed to local authorities according to need and that the distribution between the NHS and social care is such that it ensures fair funding for care enabling it to achieve parity with other health services.
  • Fund a new deal for the social care workforce.

 

12.12 – Armed Forces Covenant – Employer Recognition Scheme

 

Moved by: Councillor Joanne Dodds

 

Seconded by: Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe

 

We deeply value the work of our Armed Forces and, following the easing of restrictions, we are pleased that Bradford Council is preparing for a return to the usual, more significant public display of our gratitude and respect (Covid-19 restrictions permitting). Our Lord Mayor will lead in-person remembrance events for people who have contributed from all over the Commonwealth, of all faiths and none. This will include the Bradford Remembrance Sunday Civic service and parade, as well as supporting inclusive acts of remembrance in towns and villages throughout our district, as has always been our practice in the past.

 

The 30th of January 2022 marks 10 years since the Council and partners made their formal commitment and pledges of support to the local Armed Forces Community by signing the Community Covenant (now known as the Armed Forces Covenant).

 

The Council believes that in order to mark this anniversary it should re-state its commitment to the Covenant and the celebration of the work of our Armed Forces.

 

Since 2012 the Council has offered support over and above that required by the Covenant. We note that the Government’s Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) acknowledges employers who have provided exceptional support to the Armed Forces Community both within their organisation and within their local community. The Scheme encompasses Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. Bradford Council was awarded the Silver Defence Employer Scheme in November 2018.

 

Gold Award-level employers proactively advocate and support Defence, communicating their commitment both internally to employees and externally to the wider community, through established policies and examples of support. There are only 493 organisations and public bodies who have achieved their Gold Award since the ERS awards were introduced in 2015. Of these 20 are from the Yorkshire and Humber area.

 

In order to demonstrate our on-going commitment to supporting our local Armed Forces Community the Council agrees that it should pursue ERS Gold Award status.

 

Council resolves to:

 

  1.  Support our Lord Mayor in leading the District in remembering our Armed Forces in November in person once again.
  2. Hold a re-signing ceremony to re-commit to the pledges in the Armed Forces Covenant and celebrate its successful implementation over the last decade.
  3. Support an application to the Gold Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.

12/10/2021 - RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE EXECUTIVE AND COMMITTEES (Standing Order 15) ref: 4477    Recommendations Approved

Decision Maker: Council

Made at meeting: 12/10/2021 - Council

Decision published: 15/10/2021

Effective from: 12/10/2021

Decision:

Governance and Audit Committee (Council amendment):

 

Resolved – That Council notes the extensive work undertaken by Windhill Community Centre in the extremely difficult circumstances of Covid restrictions, which resulted in a lower level of representations than would otherwise be the case. Members therefore support a further review being undertaken sometime in the future (no sooner than 12 months from now) if there are no Covid restrictions in place. Public meetings would also form part of the review.  This course of action is supported by ward councillors

 

ACTION: City Solicitor

 

Corporate Overview and Scrutiny:

 

Resolved – That the Hate Crime Scrutiny Review be endorsed by Council.


12/10/2021 - MEMBERSHIP OF COMMITTEES AND JOINT COMMITTEES (Standing Order 4) ref: 4476    Recommendations Approved

Decision Maker: Council

Made at meeting: 12/10/2021 - Council

Decision published: 15/10/2021

Effective from: 12/10/2021

Decision:

Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

 

Resolved – That the following co-opted members be appointed to the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the 2021/22 Municipal Year

 

Voting co-opted members:

 

·         Fauzia Raza – Parent Governor Representative (from 22 September 2021)

·         Joyce Simpson – Church Representative (from 22 September 2021)

 

Non-voting co-opted members:

 

·         Dr Samina Karim – Children’s Services Representative

·         Tom Bright – Teachers Secondary School Representative.

 

Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

 

Resolved – That the following non-voting co-opted member be appointed to the Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the 2021/22 Municipal Year:

 

·         Julia Pearson – Bradford Environmental Forum.

 

Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

 

Resolved – That the following non-voting co-opted members be appointed to the Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the 2021/22 Municipal Year:

 

·         Susan Crowe – Bradford District Assembly Health and Wellbeing Forum

·         Trevor Ramsay – i2i Patient Involvement Network, Bradford District NHS Foundation Care Trust

·         Helen Rushworth – Healthwatch Bradford and District.

 

Bradford East Area Committee:

 

Resolved – Councillor Sajawal (Bradford Independent) replaces Councillor Choudhry (Labour) on the Bradford East Area Committee for the remainder of the 2021/22 municipal year from 19 November 2021.

 

Keighley Area Committee:

 

Resolved – Councillor Gibbons (Independent) replaces Councillor Hawkesworth (Ilkley Independent) on the Keighley Area Committee for the remainder of the 2021/22 municipal year from 19 November 2021.

 

Shipley Area Committee:

 

Resolved – Councillor Jenkins (Independent Socialist) replaces Councillor Davies (Conservative) on the Shipley Area Committee for the remainder of the 2021/22 municipal year from 19 November 2021.

 

ACTION: City Solicitor


12/10/2021 - PETITIONS (Standing Order 11) ref: 4475    Recommendations Approved

Decision Maker: Council

Made at meeting: 12/10/2021 - Council

Decision published: 15/10/2021

Effective from: 12/10/2021

Decision:

Combating speeding traffic on Lee Lane / Moorfield Avenue (Bingley Rural Ward)

 

Resolved – That the petition be referred to Shipley Area Committee.

 

ACTION:  City Solicitor