MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE COUNCIL
HELD IN COUNCIL CHAMBER - CITY HALL, BRADFORD ON TUESDAY, 20 MARCH 2018
Commenced 1600
Concluded 1930
PRESENT
The Lord Mayor (Councillor Abid Hussain) and Councillors:
LABOUR
A Ahmed Akhtar Amran Azam
Bacon Berry Dodds Duffy
Dunbar Engel Farley Ferriby
Green Greenwood Hinchcliffe Arshad Hussain
S Hussain Iqbal Jabar Jamil
Johnson H Khan I Khan Lal
Lee Mohammed Mullaney Nazir
Peart Pullen Ross-Shaw Salam
Shabbir Shafiq Shaheen Sharp
M Slater V Slater Swallow Tait
Thirkill Thornton Warburton Watson CONSERVATIVE
Ali Barker Brown Cooke
Davies Ellis Gibbons Heseltine
Pennington M Pollard Poulsen Riaz
Rickard Senior Shaw BM Smith
D Smith Townend Whiteley
LIBERAL DEMOCRAT AND INDEPENDENT
R Ahmed Fear Griffiths N Pollard
Reid Stelling Stubbs J Sunderland
R Sunderland Ward
INDEPENDENT GREEN INDEPENDENTS QUEENSBURY
INDEPENDENTS
Sajawal Love
Warnes
Hawkesworth Naylor
L Cromie P Cromie
The Lord Mayor in the Chair
103. DISCLOSURES OF INTEREST
The following disclosures on matters under consideration were made:
Recommendation from the Governance and Audit Committee – Proposed Changes to the Constitution (Minute 113)
Councillor Farley declared an interest as Chair of the Regeneration and Economy Overview and and Scrutiny Committee; Councillor Love as Chair of the
Environment and Waste Management Overview and Scrutiny Committee;;
Councillor Greenwood as Chair of the Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee; Councillor Arshad Hussain as Chair of the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee; and Councillor Dale Smith as Chair of the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
The disclosures were made on the basis of transparency and those Members remained in the meeting during consideration and voting on the item.
ACTION: Interim City Solicitor
104. MINUTES Resolved -
That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 February 2018 be signed as a correct record.
105. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Hawarun Hussain, Imran Hussain, Khadim Hussain, Tariq Hussain, Mallinson, Miller, Morris and Wainwright.
106. WRITTEN ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE LORD MAYOR GIFT TO THE CITY
The Lord Mayor announced that, during this meeting’s short adjournment, he would announce details of his gift to the City, given as a memento of his year in Civic office.
ELECTIONS
As this was the last ordinary meeting of the Council for this municipal year, the Lord Mayor asked Members to join him in extending every good wish for the future to colleagues who were standing down from the Council at the forthcoming elections. Council placed on record its thanks and appreciation for their
contribution to the life of the District and the wellbeing of its citizens. The Lord
107. INSPECTION OF REPORTS AND BACKGROUND PAPERS There were no restricted documents.
108. PETITIONS
The following petitions were received:
Bradford Families Against Children’s Services Cuts Resolved –
That the petition be referred to the Executive.
Proposed reduction to SEND specialist teaching support teams Resolved –
That the petition be referred to the Executive.
Support all Bradford Schools facing cuts to SEND services Resolved –
That the petition be referred to the Executive.
CCTV in Ilkley Resolved –
That the petition be referred to the Executive.
ACTION: Interim City Solicitor
109. PUBLIC QUESTION TIME There were no public questions.
110. MEMBERSHIP OF COMMITTEES AND JOINT COMMITTEES
That Councillor Lee be appointed to the Regulatory and Appeals Committee in place of Councillor Wainwright and be the Deputy Chair and Councillor
Wainwright be appointed as an alternate.
ACTION: Interim City Solicitor
111. REPORT BY THE LEADER OF COUNCIL
Council Document “S” details the verbal questions from Members to the Leader of Council and the answers given on the matters contained in the Leader of
Council’s written report.
112. MEMBER QUESTION TIME
Council Document “T” details the questions from Members to the Leader of Council and Portfolio Holders and the answers given.
113. RECOMMENDATION FROM THE GOVERNANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE - BUDGET SAVINGS TO BE ACHIEVED IN LEGAL AND DEMOCRATIC
SERVICES IN 2018/19 - PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION Previous reference: Governance and Audit Committee Minute 38 (2017/18)
On 25 January 2018 the Governance and Audit Committee considered the report of the Interim City Solicitor (Governance and Audit Committee Document “X”) providing details of changes that could be made to the Constitution by combining the Regeneration and Economy and Environment and Waste Management Overview and Scrutiny Committees. The proposed changes arose from the need to make savings in the budget of Legal and Democratic Services for 2018/19.
Resolved –
That the merger of the Regeneration and Economy Committee and Environment and Waste Management Overview and Scrutiny Committee with the Terms of Reference proposed in Appendix A to Governance and Audit Committee Document “X” be approved and the Interim City Solicitor be authorised to amend the Constitution accordingly.
ACTION: Interim City Solicitor
114. ACTING TO ADDRESS THE IMPACT OF GOVERNMENT FUNDING CUTS AND NATIONAL POLICY CHANGES ON COUNCIL SERVICES IN THE BRADFORD DISTRICT
A motion was moved by Councillor Warnes.
An amendment, as set out in the resolution below, was moved by Councillor Hinchcliffe and was carried.
Resolved –
Council notes that:
been cut substantially since 2010;
c) the local Government Association is warning that councils are now
“reaching a financial breaking point” which they describe as “a funding cliff-edge”;
d) Bradford has been disproportionately badly hit by these cuts due to our relatively low local tax base and greater reliance on support from central government;
e) these huge reductions in central government funding for Bradord have resulted in unprecedented cuts in local services across our district;
f) the impact of this reduction in Council services has had a
disproportionate impact on our poorer and more vulnerable residents and communities.
Council therefore:
1. Notes the formal response from our representative body, the Local Government Association, to Government regarding the Local Government settlement in December. Nationally all local authorities expressed overwhelming disappointment that the funding issues around adult social care and children’s social care were not addressed.
2. Notes that those people worst affected by Government cuts need to have their voices heard when it comes to formulating policy. We therefore ask the Council Senior Management to work with the Anti- Poverty Champion to develop the Council’s engagement with the Poverty Truth Commission in order to strengthen anti-poverty measures. We believe such measures are best informed by people with lived experience of poverty
3. Reiterates our commitment to lobby strongly around the “Fair Funding” Review which Government is currently undertaking which will decide how the relative needs of Councils will be calculated and how business rates are going to be redistributed in the future. The Council will provide clear evidence to Government around population and deprivation to demonstrate the clear need there is in the district.
4. To draft a submission from Bradford to feed into the Autumn statement in November and bring the key principles of this submission and the rationale behind it to Full Council prior to submission.
ACTION: Chief Executive/Council Management Team
115. INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS THE DISTRICT A motion was moved by Councillor Barker.
An amendment , as set out in the resolution below, moved by Councillor Ross- Shaw was carried.
Resolved – Council notes:
Communities with a Parish or Town Council that are affected by housing and other developments that generate a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) will receive 15% of any funds generated through the CIL in that area, rising to 25% if a Neighbourhood Plan is in place.
CIL does not replace the need for the developer to provide on-site provision of infrastructure in the community affected by development. This is dealt with separately through the planning application.
Ward members are encouraged to engage in the debate about the infrastructure needs of their community, whether through the planning process or the development of any Neighbourhood Plan.
Many areas of the district were given a nil CIL value by the government inspector and in any case the amount raised by CIL does not come close to meeting our infrastructure needs if we are to ensure a prosperous and well-connected district in the future.
The list of approved areas for CIL spend, known as the ‘123 List’
already includes education, recreation and health alongside other areas such as transport, habitat mitigation and environmental improvements.
Council instructs the Strategic Director of Place to prepare a report
outlining the infrastructure requirements of the whole district, the work that needs to be undertaken to address these needs and the potential funding streams that can be accessed to try plug this gap.
ACTION: Strategic Director Place
116. UNLOCKING BRADFORD'S GROWTH POTENTIAL
A motion, as set out in the resolution below, moved by Councillor Hinchcliffe was carried.
Resolved –
Council notes that the Bradford Economic Partnership has recently launched its new Economic Strategy, ‘Pioneering, Confident and
Connected’, which sets out our ambition to be the UK’s fastest growing economy by increasing the number of productive businesses and supporting young and enterprising people to innovate, invest and build fulfilling lives in the district.
The strategy sets out Bradford’s four key opportunities:
Our Young & Enterprising Population – ensuring all our people are equipped with the skills and confident to succeed
Our Distinctive Offer – using our unique architecture, heritage and cultural assets to create an environment for growth
Our Globally Connected District – improving our transport and digital connectivity to strengthen trading links and access to markets
A number of foundations for growth are already in place, including
Community Led Local Development, our Industrial Centres of Excellence, Keighley Business Improvement District and new rail stations at Apperley Bridge and Low Moor.
Over the coming year the Bradford Economic Partnership will work with Bradford Council to deliver further catalysts for growth, rolling out our rate relief scheme, expanding the number of Industrial Centres of Excellence, delivering a Bradford city centre Business Improvement District and supporting the Next Stop Bradford campaign for a high-speed rail link in Bradford City Centre, which has won support in principle from the
government minister and Transport for the North.
Sustainable economic growth is vital because it will bring high quality jobs, better living standards and prosperity and more opportunities for a wider range of people to contribute to and share in the district’s future success.
Council resolves to:
Thank the Bradford Economic Partnership and its Chair David Baldwin for their leadership on developing this strategy.
Engage with all our communities around the strategy, starting with an Economy Roadshow, taking the strategy to locations across the district to discuss ways of working together to unlock our growth potential
Work with businesses and the Export Exchange to increase the number of Bradford Export Exchange Patrons, so businesses can support each other to grow and expand their business into new markets
Instruct officers to work on the delivery of catalysts for growth, for example the plan to re-purpose heritage mills for a successful new era.
Promote Bradford District vigorously across the UK and beyond starting with launching our Economic Strategy in London as well as Bradford.
ACTION: Strategic Director Place
117. BRADFORD BACKS CAMPAIGN TO EXTEND VOTING RIGHTS TO 16 AND 17-YEAR OLDS
A motion, as set out in the resolution below, was moved by Councillor Jabar and was carried.
Resolved –
This Council notes:
- We are celebrating the centenary of women’s suffrage. 100 years on it is high time to take on the next challenge – Votes at 16.
- Local Elections in Bradford this year is an opportunity to engage more people about the importance of voting and particularly encourage our young people to have their say on their future.
- 16-year-olds are denied the right to vote yet are legally allowed to:
pay income tax and National Insurance, become a company director, obtain tax credits and welfare benefits, consent to sexual
relationships and consent to medical treatment.
- All 11 to 16-year-olds in England study citizenship education as a statutory part of the National Curriculum to develop their
understanding of how to engage as responsible citizens in society.
- Bradford is the youngest city in the UK and our youth are key to the district’s future success.
- Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy.
This Council:
- Asks our council officers to redouble their efforts to encourage people to vote and to register their vote before the deadline.
- Supports the national ‘Votes at 16’ campaign.
ACTION: Chief Executive/Interim City Solicitor
118. TAKING PRIDE IN OUR DISTRICT
A motion, as set out in the resolution below, was moved by Councillor Ferriby and was carried.
Resolved –
This Council notes:
- The excellent work of Council staff, partner agencies and residents who pulled together during the adverse weather in early March.
- The superb work of communities, Friends groups and volunteers in our district who work tirelessly to improve their local neighbourhoods and facilities.
- Through the People Can campaign we support community groups working to improve the district.
- The importance of our enforcement activities in tackling the scourge of environmental antisocial behaviour such as littering and flytipping.
This Council resolves to:
- Build on the success of events such as the Community Stars awards to celebrate individuals who go the extra mile and show pride in their local areas.
- After the city centre pilot, roll out the successful environmental enforcement measures to other town centres in the district wherever possible given their success in the city centre.
ACTION: Strategic Director Place
119. PAY POLICY STATEMENT 2018/19
In accordance with the Localism Act 2011 Local Authorities were required to produce and publish a Pay Policy Statement for each financial year. The Pay Policy Statement must be approved by Full Council before publication. The report of the Interim Director of Human Resources (Document “U”) presented the draft Pay Policy Statement 2018/19 for approval.
Resolved –
That the Pay Policy Statement for the financial year 2018/19, as set out at Appendix 1 to Document “U”, be approved.
ACTION: Strategic Director Corporate Resources
Lord Mayor
Note: These minutes are subject to approval as a correct record at the next meeting of the Council.
THESE MINUTES HAVE BEEN PRODUCED, WHEREVER POSSIBLE, ON RECYCLED PAPER
