6. PETITIONS (Standing Order 11) Ward
To consider up to five requests for the Council to receive petitions in accordance with Standing
Orders.
(i) Bradford People’s Coalition Against the Cuts – Request that the Council sets a needs
based budget that is fair and protects the most vulnerable people in the District
If any further requests are received, in writing, by mid-day three working days before the
meeting (Thursday), details will be circulated.
(Palbinder Sandhu- 01274
9. MEMBER QUESTION TIME (Standing Order 12)
To deal with supplementary questions arising from the attached questions of which written
notice has been given.
Notes:
(i) Answers to each written question 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.
(iii) A period of up to 15 minutes shall be available for supplementary questions to the
Leader of Council.
10. RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE EXECUTIVE AND COMMITTEES
(Standing Order 15)
To consider any recommendations (if any) arising from the Executive and Committee
meetings held after the despatch of this agenda and prior to the Council meeting.
11. NOTICES OF MOTION (Standing Order 17)
To consider the attached motions of which notice has been given.5
MEMBER QUESTION TIME
Questions submitted in accordance with Standing Order 12
______________________________________________________________
1. Councillor L’Amie
Can the Leader confirm that the Council will take all reasonable actions in order to actively
discourage the unlawful occupation of Land by travellers and can he confirm that policies
such as those which have enabled the multi agency Rapid Response Unit in Leicestershire to
reduce complaints about illegal encampments from hundreds per year to dozens per year,
whilst reducing clean up costs from about £80,000 per year to about £10,000 per year, will be
examined and given due consideration?
2. Councillor Ruding
How many LA schools in the district have had a temporary closure in term time during the
previous three months, for how long and for what reasons?
3. Councillor Palmer
Can the Leader explain why the waste collection services provided by smaller refuse
collection vehicles to many rural communities and areas with narrow roads, were cancelled
without notice over the Christmas period, in order to prioritise services provided by the larger
vehicles in more urban areas and can he provide assurance to residents of the affected
areas that the council is not pursuing a policy of two tier service provision, to the detriment of
outlying communities?
4. Councillor Lynne Smith
Can the Leader of Council provide a list of consultants and advisors that have
been employed since October 2009 either directly or indirectly by the Council or paid for by
the Council in full or in part on behalf of a partnership or other body? Can the Leader also
provide the following information:
a) Who authorised the use of consultants or advisors
b) The full costs of the consultancy or advice and the amount of Council
contribution
c) The purpose of the consultancy or advice and whether this purpose
has been fulfilled?
5. Councillor L’Amie
What action is the Council taking to speed up the installation of Vehicle Activated Signs?
6. Councillor Lynne Smith
What Government support has been made available to Local Authorities to assist with
redundancy costs and does the Leader believe that this will be sufficient given the current
spending cuts?
7. Councillor Watmough
Given the success that the recent employment of alcohol clinical nurse specialists has
achieved in reducing A&E hospital admissions at Bradford Royal Infirmary, what efforts is
Bradford Council making to ensure that Airedale General Hospital
alcohol clinical nurse specialists?
8. Councillor Ellis
What actions does the council intend to take to encourage local sustainability, including
initiatives such as the use of brown field sites to minimise the development of unspoilt land
and the micro generation of electricity on council owned or influenced property?
9. Councillor Dodds
What is the Council doing to ensure that more people have a recycling bin?
10. Councillor Miller
Can the Leader acknowledge that despite the legal advice which this Council has received,
numerous unitary and district councils including the council with the largest budget of any
local authority in Europe , have managed to publish on-line details of every item of their
spending in excess of £500 without legal challenge.
Further can he confirm that he welcomes the spirit of greater transparency and accountability
that this publication represents, and request that the Chief Executive prepares proposals for
this council’s on-line publication of all spending in excess of £500 to be complimented by the
publication of detailed expense information for all Councillors and Directors regardless of
amount ?
11. Councillor Khadim Hussain
Can the Leader comment on the performance of Council services in the light of the recent
inclement weather conditions?
12. Councillor Middleton
What are Bradford MDC Human Resources doing to action its commitments under the
Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for Bradford District to ‘provide its employees with access
to on-line free and confidential alcohol identification and brief advice’ (Alcohol Health Needs
Assessment & Equity Audit 2010)? 7
13. Councillor Engel
Can the Leader provide us with an assessment of the likely impact on the District of
Government policy changes on Housing and Housing Welfare services?
14. Councillor Warburton
Given that the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has urged local
authorities not to cut Supporting People funding for services to homeless people can the
leader tell us:
1) Of the previously specific grant funding now rolled into the Council’s greatly reduced
formula grant how much has the Government indicated is intended to fund Supporting People
Services?
2) How great a reduction is this on the 2010/11 allocation to Bradford for Supporting People
services both in absolute and percentage terms?
15. Councillor Warnes
Does the Leader of Council agree that establishing a network of community 'snow wardens'
across the District, in localities where volunteers are willing to perform this role, would ensure
that many more key residential pedestrian routes are made accessible during periods of
severe weather at minimal cost to the Council?
16. Councillor Vanda Greenwood
Can the Leader confirm that the Council has released funding to ensure that a new play area
at Claremont Fields, Wrose can be built?
17. Councillor Love
Can the Leader of Council tell us the cost incurred by the Council in responding to Freedom
of Information and any other requests from the 'Taxpayers Alliance' during 2010?
18. Councillor Warnes
Can the Leader of Council please confirm whether or not the Council's asset disposal
programme has been subject to a strategic environmental impact assessment?
19. Councillor Warnes
Can the Leader of Council please outline the progress that Bradford Council has made in
facilitating greater numbers of local residents to cycle to work in the District, what impact
these measures have had on the proportion of commuters who cycle to work, and how this
Council's performance in this aspect of sustainable travel compares to other local authorities? 8
20. Councillor Love
Can the Leader of Council tell us the cost of each of the two traffic information signs installed
on the A650 in Shipley Ward in 2010 and why ward members were not consulted regarding
their installation?
21. Councillor Warnes
Can the Leader of Council please provide a list of all the sites that Asset Management have
scheduled for disposal by 2018, along with an assessment of the impact of these sales on
public green space and the environment? 9
NOTICES OF MOTION
1. DIOCESE OF BRADFORD
To be moved by Councillor Ian Greenwood
Seconded by Councillor David Green
This Council notes the important community leadership role played by the Church of
It notes with concern that the recent review of The Dioceses Commission recommends the
abolition of the Diocese of Bradford and its amalgamation into a West Yorkshire Diocese,
with Episcopal area Bishops and believes that this could undermine the prominence, status
and influence of the office of the Bishop of Bradford and the Diocese of Bradford itself.
The Council therefore requests the Chief Executive to write to the Dioceses Commission
expressing its strong view that Bradford should keep a full Diocesan Bishop.
2. POLICE GOVERNANCE
To be moved by Councillor Wainwright
Seconded by Councillor Imran Hussain
The Council recognises the achievements of West Yorkshire Police in its progress on tackling
crime in the Bradford District and in particular its introduction and implementation of
Neighbourhood Policing which provides the opportunity for local people to influence local
policing priorities.
The Council notes with concern the proposal in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility
Bill to impose a Directly Elected Police Commissioner on West Yorkshire and believes that
this proposal, will undermine local influence and control over policing priorities, place
disproportionate power in the hands of a single individual and risk the politicisation of
policing.
The Council welcomes the recognition in the Bill of the need for strong proposals for checks
and balances on the powers of Police Commissioners through Police and Crime Panels
however we believe that the proposed combination of Elected Members and laypersons
already exists in the form of the Police Authority.
While accepting the need to ensure that the Police are held accountable to the public the
Council believes that the proposals for Directly Elected Police Commissioners risk having the
opposite effect.
The Council therefore resolves to request the Chief Executive to write on its behalf to:
1) Sir Denis O’ Conor, Chief HMI in support of the Association of Police Authority’s calls for 10
him to undertake a full risk assessment of the proposed policy changes.
2) The District’s MPs urging them to oppose the proposed legislation.
3. CHILD POVERTY
To be moved by Councillor Sunderland
Seconded by Councillor Beardmore
This Council believes that poverty blights people’s lives.
This Council supports a strategy that prevents poor children from becoming poor adults.
This Council is acknowledges concerns about the likely impact of the Governments decision
to abolish the Education Maintenance Allowance on children and young people from deprived
backgrounds.
This Council resolves to:
a). Maximise the numerous educational opportunities announced by the Government
for children whose lives are impacted by material and financial deprivation.
b) Create a working group specifically tasked to identify all those new opportunities
that will maximise educational opportunity.
c) Identifies what further activities and policies the Council can undertake to ensure
that children from poor households do not become poor adults.
d) Writes to the Government highlighting the impact of its recent decision to abolish
the Educational Maintenance Allowance.
e) Prepares a report to Council on a delivery plan that specifically addresses these
challenges.
4. SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN
To be moved by Councillor Sunderland
Seconded by Councillor Middleton
This Council believes the responsibility for safe guarding children is a key responsibility of all
Councillors and that all decisions of Council should take this key responsibility into account.
This Council notes that two recent planning applications have been approved without the
Director of Children’s Services being included in the consultation process despite the Council
being judged on the ability of these institutions in the future.
This Council therefore resolves to:
a) Review the planning consultation process to ensure that where planning
applications that involve the care of children and young people by either the private,
public or third sector, the Director of Children’s Services is included in the formal
consultation process.
b) Amend the processes of the Council to ensure that the outcome of this consultation
is reported to the planning panel prior to a decision being taken.
c) The outcome of the review is reported to the Council for consideration. 11
5. ACCESS TO BROADBAND
To be moved by Councillor Palmer
Seconded by Councillor Ellis
This Council believes that access to modern communication networks throughout the District
is critical to the success of the local economy and is also to the benefit of residents and thus
welcomes the roll-out of high speed fibre-optic broadband throughout the majority of the
District, whilst regretting that this roll out currently excludes the 3,006 households and
businesses served by the Burley in Wharfedale Exchange.
The Council congratulates the residents of Burley for responding to BT's 'Race to Infinity'
competition by demonstrating the demand for faster broadband by casting the third highest
number of votes of the 2,475 communities taking part. The council notes that whilst Burley
came 9th by percentage vote and therefore was not in the top 5, BT have committed to
engage with the local community and have now indicated that the roll-out could be extended
to include Burley and the other top 10 exchanges in the competition.
The Council therefore asks the Chief Executive to write to BT setting out the Council's view.
The Council asks the Chief Executive to contact BT outlining the council’s support and
engages with and supports the company and the local community to ensure that fast fibre
optic broadband is made available in Burley at the earliest opportunity.
6. LICENSING
To be moved by Councillor Shah
Seconded by Councillor Ellis
This council welcomes the coalition government’s proposals to rebalance the licensing act
and in particular commits to making full use of the provisions enabling the council to work in
partnership with West Yorkshire Police in order to:
• take much stronger action to remove (or refuse to grant) licenses at problem premises
• permanently close any outlet consistently selling alcohol to children and double the
fine for this offence to £20,000
• examine the cost to the council and police of the night time economy and consider
increasing the cost of later night licenses to reflect these and banning the sale of alcohol below cost price.
No comments:
Post a Comment