Content

12.1 – BIODIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS IN

           
NEW DEVELOPMENTS                                                               

 
Moved by:   
Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw 
Seconded by: Councillor Susan
Hinchcliffe 
 
That with the addition of the following words, the
motion be amended to read as follows:
 

  This Council
notes:  
 

The UK has experienced
a significant loss of biodiversity and
it is now one of the most nature-depleted countries on
Earth.  

Across the UK species
studied have declined on average by 19% since
1970.  

Nearly one in six
species are threatened with extinction from the
UK.  

This council declared
a biodiversity emergency on 11th July 2023.  

Biodiversity Net Gain
requirements for new builds do not need to be made on site but can
be offset elsewhere, even beyond the local
settlement.  

This council supports
the Wildlife Trust’s publication ‘Homes for People and
Wildlife’ [page 70 Homes and Neighbourhoods design
guide].  

   
   This Council also
notes:  
 

This Council has
already produced the Homes and Neighbourhoods design guide to give
guidance for developers to increase biodiversity within the
development, however this does not form part of the statutory
development plan and developers are not compelled to follow all
parts of it.  

Street trees,
Sustainable Urban Drainage (including swales and rain gardens),
native species hedges, bat and bird boxes integrated into buildings
(such as swift bricks) bee bricks, planted verges, hedgehog
highways, green roofs and green walls can all be introduced to
increase biodiversity, and provide significant value to the
district through provision of ecosystem services such as control of
surface water run-off and keep streets cool, as well as producing a
more pleasant place to for people to live.  

Business parks and
industrial sites can also support biodiversity by incorporating
features such as green roofs.   

   
This Council resolves
to:  
 

Ensure biodiversity
measures, including street trees, are fully incorporated into the
emerging Design Code, which Bradford Council secured pilot funding
to develop ahead of the requirement for all Local Authorities to
produce one.

Ask officers to
consider how commercial sites can incorporate biodiversity measures
through the Local Plan

Ensure that the
Council’s new emerging Local Plan contains a biodiversity
policy which requires new developments (both residential and
commercial) to include a wide range of measures to support
biodiversity.  

Ensure that the
Council’s new emerging Local Plan reflects our existing
supportive approach to encouraging the daylighting and
de-culverting of watercourses where
possible.  

Ask officers to be
ready to incorporate mandatory measurable biodiversity and/or urban
greening factor targets within the Design Code for all new
developments as soon as the relevant parts of the Levelling-Up and
Regeneration Act 2023 (or equivalent legislation) come into
effect.

Request officers bring
these issues to the next meeting of the cross-party Local Plan
Reference Group to discuss further and ensure quarterly meetings
are scheduled from now until the Local Plan is
implemented.

 
To be actioned by:  Strategic Director Place
 
 
Note: Motion 12.5 below is the Labour Group amendment
to the Conservative and Queensbury Independent Group Motion 12.2 -
City Centre Chaos                                                              
                                                                                                                       
12.5
- TRANSFORMING TRANSPORT ACROSS BRADFORD DISTRICT
 
Moved
by:  Councillor Alex
Ross-Shaw
Seconded by:  Councillor Caroline
Firth
 
That with the addition of the following words, the
motion be amended to read as follows:
 
Council notes:
 
The unplanned closure of the
Interchange alongside the ongoing work to create a much improved city centre public realm has caused
understandable frustration for the travelling public.
 
Bradford deserves a high
quality, sustainable transport network that connects communities
across the district, and connects the district to the rest of the
country.
 
 A
new city centre station, Mass Transit and Transforming Cities will
deliver a 21st century transport network for Bradford
that gives us the connectivity we need to grow our economy and
provide jobs and opportunities to every corner of the
district.
 
Major improvements have been or
are already being delivered at Hard Ings in Keighley, Harrogate
Road/New Line in Bradford East, City Connect cycleways connecting
Bradford, Leeds and Shipley and a new platform is under
construction at Bradford Forster Square to allow more trains to
London.
Sustainable transport corridors
with improved facilities for bus, bike and pedestrians will be
delivered on Manchester Road, Wakefield Road, Tong Street, Canal
Road and King’s Road.
 
Local transport schemes are
making it safer to walk and cycle to your local town and school
across the district, for example:
 
·        
Safer Neighbourhood Schemes, such as the one
successfully delivered in Saltaire
·        
Active travel programmes delivering new cycleways
and footpaths in places like Silsden, Bingley, Ilkley and
Windhill
·        
Our rolling 20mph programme implemented in our town
and city centres plus over 50 schools across the district including
Bolton & Undercliffe, Keighley,
Manningham and Tong
·        
School Streets in Shipley and Toller among
others
·        
New housing has EV charge points and 20mph speed
limits as standard
 
We are continuing to reshape
our city centre so it is fit for the
future through the Transforming Cities scheme, the biggest change
to the city in fifty years. This will create a centre that is
cleaner, greener and safer for workers, residents and visitors and
complements our major regeneration programme.
 
We continue to push for
long-term improvements to our transport connectivity such as
through the re-opening of the Skipton-Colne railway line, which
would boost rail journeys from Keighley and along the Aire Valley
and improve East-West connectivity.
 
Council welcomes the investment
from the Mayor of West Yorkshire in Bradford district to improve
transport by:
 

Introducing the
‘Mayor’s Fares’ £2 price cap on bus
tickets, with an enhanced £1 ticket fare in Keighley, which
has seen patronage increase by 34% on the number 60 service, around
30% more bus passengers using the K2/3 and K7 services and 11% more
bus passengers on other local Keighley services which adopted the
£1 flat fare
Investing in bus
services including new routes such as the Bradford City Circle 602
bus service connecting the BRI, Bradford and Shipley, and the 60A
serving Keighley and the Aire Valley, which has increased patronage
and proved so successful additional services are now being provided
by the operator
Engaging local
disability groups to improve accessibility throughout the city
centre as part of the bus route changes
Serious progress on
delivering more public control of buses, with franchising of bus
services in advanced development

 
 
 
Council resolves to:
 

Continue to engage
with disabled people’s and older people’s groups to
ensure we continue to hear their views and deliver the best
possible Transforming Cities and bus service
improvements
Ask elected members
and residents to sign up to the weekly newsletter for progress
updates on city centre works at: https://www.future-bradford.co.uk/city-centre
and continue to engage with residents
online and offline to keep them updated and hear their
views
Help arrange another
all councillor briefing from WYCA to ensure members continue to be
updated on the Interchange bus station
Reaffirm our
commitment to supporting the Mayor to
resolve the Interchange closure so a decision can be made in the
Autumn for either a temporary bus station or a plan to re-open the
existing bus station
Proceed at pace with
the plans to create an enhanced rail gateway at Bradford
Interchange using part of a re-purposed £22 million funding
pot
Ask WYCA to deliver
rapid improvements to on-street facilities at busy bus stops such
as Nelson Street by providing more shelters, bins and seating as
required
Encourage members and
residents to take part in the consultation running later this
summer on the proposed new tram services serving our district as
part of the exciting West Yorkshire Mass Transit plans
Work successfully
with the newly elected government by making the strong case with
ministers to deliver on existing commitments and drive more
investment in better transport for Bradford to deliver our
ambitions for a more prosperous and sustainable district at the
heart of a revitalised North.

 
To be
actioned by:  Strategic Director
Place
 
 
12.3 -  ILKLEY RIVERSIDE                                                                      
 
Moved by:  Councillor
Kamran Hussain
Seconded by: Councillor Sarah
Ferriby
 
That with the addition of the
following words the motion be amended to read
as follows:
 
The Council
notes:
 

Ilkley’s riverside is an
attractive location and a desirable destination both for
local residents and visitors from across
the district and further afield. Consequently, Ilkley’s
riverside is an important asset for the entire
district

 

·        
The actions of some people at the
riverside can cause acute problems, including littering and
anti-social behaviour. 
 

The council passed a motion in
October 2022 calling the Ilkley Riverside Public Space Protection
Order (PSPO) and Hot Weather Plan ‘sensible measures which
should help to address these problems.’
The Order responded to an increase in visitors and a rise
in reports of anti-social behaviour during the pandemic
period

 

Since then
the number of ASB incidents has reduced from those heightened
levels. After discussions with the police and other partners, the
council chose not to renew the PSPO when it expired in May 2024 and
to instead retain other methods to address antisocial behaviour and
promote public safety including through the Hot Weather
Plan.

 

The council’s byelaws prohibit
the lighting of fires in the district’s
parks

 

Ilkley’s riverside and other
parks in the district often see the most visitors at weekends and
bank holidays, requiring additional bin emptying and litter picking
at these times. 

 
Council resolves
to:
 

Commend the efforts of volunteers,
council staff and partners in helping to address the problems at
Ilkley’s riverside. Recognise that, as one of the
district’s most important assets, Ilkley’s Riverside
requires sufficient attention and resources to ensure it
retains its reputation as an attractive visitor
destination.

 

Continue leading the Hot Weather Plan
for Ilkley Riverside, which includes managing issues around litter, parking and other
forms of antisocial behaviour. All partners will continue to be involved in a
weekly planning meeting during warm
weather. 

 

Request the Strategic Director of
Place to bring a report to the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny
Committee within 6 months, reviewing the effectiveness of the
Ilkley Riverside PSPO, the resources available to enforce it, and
the decision not to renew it. As part of this report, also
investigate options for enforcing the council’s byelaws in
the district’s parks.

 

Commit to continuing to make
sufficient resources available to parks and street cleansing
services to maintain current levels of waste disposal and litter
picking in all council parks, including at weekends and bank
holidays. 

 

Continue working proactively through
our area offices with volunteer groups, ward councillors and
partners, including the police, to identify problems with littering
and anti-social behaviour in council parks and solutions to these
problems. 

To be actioned by: 
Strategic Director Place
 
 
12.4    ADDRESSING RACIAL DISPARITIES IN MOTOR
INSURANCE PREMIUMS IN BRADFORD                        
                                             
                    
Moved by: Councillor Kamran
Hussain
Seconded by: Councillor Susan
Hinchcliffe
 
That with the addition of the
following words the motion be amended to read
as follows:
 
Background:
 

Recent studies and reports have
highlighted significant racial disparities in motor insurance
premiums in the UK, including Bradford. These disparities indicate
that individuals from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME)
backgrounds are often charged higher premiums compared to their
White counterparts, despite having similar risk
profiles.

Such practices contribute to
financial inequality and can exacerbate social and economic
disparities in our community.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
has said it will raise these concerns and evidence with the
insurance industry and has initiated steps to investigate and
address them.

Section 19 of the Equality Act (2010)
defines indirect discrimination as taking place when a provision
criteria or practice is applied in the same way for everybody but
results in worse outcomes for a group of people with protected
characteristics.

Addressing these disparities aligns
with Bradford Council’s commitment to promoting equity,
fairness and social justice within our
community.

Council Notes:
 

The diversity of Bradford is one of
its greatest strengths, and it is crucial that all residents are
treated fairly and equitably in all aspects of life, including
motor insurance.

Discriminatory practices in motor
insurance would not only undermine trust in financial institutions
but also place an undue financial burden on ethnic minority
communities.

Whilst the Council does not have any
control over insurance premiums, it is within the remit of the
council to advocate for fair treatment of all its residents and to
work towards eliminating racial discrimination in all its
forms.

The welcome commitment in the Labour
manifesto which states that the new Government will further support
people by “tackling the soaring cost of car
insurance.”

Council Believes:
 

That all residents of Bradford should
have access to fair and equitable motor insurance premiums,
regardless of their race or ethnicity.

That the council has a role to play
in raising awareness about this issue and advocating for change at
both the local and national levels.

Council Resolves:
 

To write to all five of
Bradford’s newly elected MPs to express our concern about
racial disparities in motor insurance premiums and ask them to
raise the issue with the relevant Secretary of State.  Additionally to ask
them to call on the FCA to expedite its investigation into these
practices.

The portfolio holder for
neighbourhoods and community safety to write to the Association of
British Insurers (ABI), the trade body representing major motor
insurance providers operating in Bradford District, urging them to
review their pricing practices to ensure they are fair and
non-discriminatory and to provide an explanation of why motorists
from BAME backgrounds pay more than drivers from non-BAME
backgrounds with similar risk profiles, according to the
research.

To support local initiatives and
campaigns aimed at raising awareness of this issue and providing
support to affected communities.

To collaborate with other councils,
governmental bodies and relevant organisations to address and
eliminate racial disparities in motor insurance
premiums.

 
To be actioned by: Chief Executive,
Strategic Director Place and Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods
and Community Safety
 
12.6 SUPPORTING PEACE, JUSTICE AND THE RULE OF
LAW                           
Moved by: Cllr Susan
Hinchcliffe
Seconded by: Cllr Imran Khan
 
That with the addition of the
following words the motion be amended to read
as follows:
 
 
 
Bradford Council
notes:

·        
Bradford’s history as a place of
peace-making and the large number of our residents across all
communities who are profoundly disturbed and appalled by the
sickening events taking place in Gaza and the Middle East;

·        
The Bradford Council Labour Group Motion
on 12th December Full Council supporting “This
Council calls for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in
Gaza”;

·        
The Bradford Council Labour Group Motion
on 12th March Full Council supporting “Bradford
Council calls for end to violence, making way for Peace”;
We further resolve
to:

·        
Condemn the indiscriminate attacks on
Gaza by the Israeli military that has now killed almost 40,000
innocent men, women and children;

·        
Demand the lifting of the illegal siege
and blockade of Gaza, allowing for desperately needed humanitarian
aid, including food, water, medicine and fuel to reach all parts of
Gaza, and condemn the deliberate efforts of the Israeli military to
restrict and obstruct this aid;

·        
Press for the immediate and safe return
of all hostages;

·        
Repeat our calls for an immediate,
permanent and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, and an end to the
collective punishment of Palestinians.

·        
Reiterate the UK’s clear
obligations under international law to support international
institutions, including the International Court of Justice (ICJ)
and the International Criminal Court (ICC);

·        
Call on the new UK
Government to comply with international law, and to abide by any
instructions or arrest warrants issued by the International
Criminal Court with regards to the ongoing investigation into war
crimes, including providing any and all support needed for the
“Application of the Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip” before
the International Court of Justice, and the International Criminal
Court’s investigation into war crimes in
Palestine. 

·        
Call on the new UK Government to take
steps to ensure that arms and military equipment either designed or
built in whole or in part in the UK is not used in acts that amount
to war crimes under international law.

·        
Commit to continue fighting against
Islamophobia, Anti-Semitism, and religious and racial
discrimination in all its forms noting Bradford’s proud
status as a City of Sanctuary;

·        
Wholeheartedly support the re-opening of
the Bradford Peace Museum in Saltaire
on 10th August and encourage all residents to go visit
and learn from history.

·        
Reaffirm our support for the right to
peaceful process and the right to assembly, building on
Bradford’s proud history of standing up for those who cannot
speak for themselves; whilst condemning those who commit criminal
acts of damage like the attack on a local bank in
Bradford.

·        
Demand that the international community,
with particular regard to the Permanent
Five Members of the UN Security Council, including the United
States and UK, backs the immediate recognition of the State of
Palestine as part of the two-state solution, as supported by a
majority of the UN General Assembly; and

·        
Assert that an all-out military assault
on Rafah by the Israeli military, where thousands of Palestinians
are still seeking refuge, will amount to a further war
crime.