Content

Motion 12.1SUPPORTREGENERATION ANDEXTERNAL INVESTMENT        IN ST.IVES ESTATE
 
As set out in the published agenda
Motion 12.1 was moved by Councillor Wheatley and seconded by
Councillor Dearden.
 
In accordance with Council
Standing Orders 18.4 and
18.8 an amendment (additional
published papers Amendment A) was moved by Councillor
Ross-Shaw and seconded by
Councillor Hinchcliffe.
 
 Following
a number
of speakers in accordance with Council
Standing Order 18.12 Amendment A as
set out below was then put to the vote, was carried and became
the substantive motion, was then voted on and was
carried.         
 
Resolved-
 
That with the addition and
deletion of the appropriate words, the motion be amended to read as
follows:
 
Council notes:
 
·        
Yorkshire Swim Works (YSW) proposed a
development of Kettlewell Close Reservoir and adjoining fields as
“A nature-based community outdoor leisure facility, enabled
by a private tourism business, financed through an innovative
public / private model, designed to deliver long term social
economic and environmental value in an area in need of
regeneration.”
·        
We have a responsibility to tackle health
and wellbeing inequalities, improve the environmental impact of
developments, promote economic regeneration, manage and respond to
stakeholder expectations including risk tolerance around themes
including ecology, heritage, water safety, and green
belt.
·        
Taking into
account the priorities
listed above, officers have been instructed to develop a masterplan
for St Ives, strategically considering all assets on the estate,
particularly where council-owned, to inform future funding bids to
restore and improve the estate as a living, working, visitor
attraction for the district and region.
·        
The Council has been in discussions with
Yorkshire Swim Works and there is much to commend Yorkshire Swim
Works’ ambition for wild swimming within the district, which
the Council has been supportive of in principle. However, those
discussions have raised significant challenges with the site and
the proposal, not least around the very high value biodiversity
present on the site that has a high level of protection.
 
Council resolves to:
 
•                   
Accelerate work to develop the masterplan
for the St Ives Estate that includes full engagement with local
Ward Councillors, Harden Parish Council, Bingley Town Council, the
Friends of St Ives and other interested parties.
•                   
Provide Yorkshire Swim Works with a
written summary of the council’s position, detailing the
challenges on their preferred site, including any risks not
ordinarily addressed within a formal planning application before
the end of the year (2025).
 
To be
actioned by:  Strategic Director
Place and Strategic
Director of Corporate Resources/S151 Officer
 
Motion 12.2 
FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE WITH A TERMINAL ILNESS
 
As set out in the published agenda Motion 12.2
was moved by Councillor Sunderland and seconded by Councillor
Stubbs.
 
In accordance
with Council Standing Orders 18.4 and 18.8
an amendment (additional published papers Amendment
B) was moved by Councillor Hinchcliffe and seconded by Councillor
Ferriby.
 
Following a number
of speakers in accordance with Council
Standing Order 18.12 Amendment B as set out below was then put to the vote,
was carried and became the substantive motion, was then voted
on and was
carried.         
 
Resolved-
 
That with the
addition and deletion of the appropriate words, the motion be
amended to read as follows:
 
Council notes:
 
This
Council is committed to supporting residents experiencing financial
hardship, particularly in the context of supporting those on low
incomes and health issues which includes end-of-life care. We
recognise that managing financial responsibilities during this time
can be exceptionally difficult.
This
council funds an extensive Council Tax Reduction scheme to assist
people on low incomes to pay their Council Tax bill. The assessment
process considers the income and composition of the household,
including disabilities. Income such as attendance allowance is
disregarded.
Other
support available includes:
 

The Severe Mental
Impairment (SMI) exemption (if the
person lives alone) or discount (if they live with another adult)
can be claimed where the person is medically certified to have an
impairment to their intellectual or social functioning that appears
to be permanent and they are also in receipt of a qualifying
benefit (such as Personal Independence Payment -daily living
component).

Disabled Band Reduction
– this is a reduction that can reduce the
council tax band that a property is in where the property has been
adapted to meet the needs of a disabled person (such as an
additional downstairs bathroom or the use of a room solely to
accommodate the use of specialist medical equipment)

Moved to receive care
– the home of a person who has moved into
hospital or can be exempt if it remains unoccupied whilst a person
is receiving care (known as a Class E exemption).

Carer Discount
– if a person moves into a property to care
for a terminally ill person on certain benefits, they may be able
to claim the Carers Discount (if they are not the terminally
person’s partner).

A carer’s unoccupied
property – linked to the
Carer discount above, if a person moves into a terminally
person’s property to provide them with care, if they are
leaving behind their own property, they may be able to claim a
Class J Council Tax exemption for their unoccupied
home.

Blue Badge Scheme | Bradford
Council supports those with
disabilities to park closer to their destination. The Council fast
tracks applications from those who are terminally ill.

This
council also operates a Household Support Fund to support people on
low incomes by providing fuel top-ups, assisted purchases of
household goods and support for foodbanks or pantries.
 
This
council’s Council Tax support provision has fairness at its
heart being targeted at those with the lowest incomes.
 
Nationally
there are Special Rules designed to speed up access to certain
benefits and increase payments for people nearing the end of
life.
Manchester
Council was the first council to introduce Council Tax support
specifically for terminally ill people in line with Marie
Curie’s campaign.  Bradford
Council has already asked Manchester, once they have completed
their first year of operation, to share from their experience of
implementing this pledge.
 
Council Resolves to:
 

Request the Chief Executive to
embed the concerns about end-of-life poverty, as raised by the
Marie Curie campaign, into the work of the Council’s
anti-poverty team.
Make sure that all the advice centres
commissioned by Bradford Council in the district are aware of the
support available for council tax payment.
Ask the Council’s Revenue and Benefits team
to ensure that all applications for support from people who are end
of life are prioritised in their administration.
Ensure that Bradford Council has the equivalent
of a Cold Homes Strategy in place.

 
To
be actioned by:  Chief Executive
andInterim
Strategic Director of Corporate Resources/S151
Officer
 

Motion 12.3  EFFECTIVELY PROMOTING AND
STRENGTHENING BRADFORD’S ECONOMY
 
As set out in the published agenda Motion 12.3
was moved by Councillor Felstead and seconded by Councillor
Pollard.
 
In accordance with Council
Standing Orders 18.4 and
18.8 an amendment (additional
published papers Amendment C) was moved by Councillor Imran
Khan and seconded by Councillor
Ross-Shaw.
 
 Following
a number
of speakers in accordance with Council
Standing Order 18.12 Amendment C as
set out below was then put to the vote, was carried and became
the substantive motion, was then voted on and was
carried.         
 
Resolved-
 
That with the addition and
deletion of the appropriate words, the motion be amended to read as
follows:
 
This Council notes:
 

• It is reported to be five times
easier and five times less costly to retain a       business than to
acquire new business.

• Retaining our brilliant businesses
and attracting inward investment. Attracting new businesses of all
shapes and sizes – from next generation startups to
multinationals – will be crucial in achieving a successful
local economy.

• That there have been long-standing
structural challenges in terms of the performance of the
district’s economy which have hindered productivity, demand
for skills and labour, and growth.

• There are a significant number of
national and global businesses operating in Bradford District
across the breadth of the economy, including Morrisons, Nufarm,
Santander, PWC and Teconnex.

• The district has a strong
entrepreneurial culture, is home to more than 16,500 businesses,
and is consistently considered to be one of the best places in the
UK to start a business by organisations such as Barclays and the
Sunday Times.
• We
have strong economic foundations as the following
demonstrate:
o 5% growth in businesses is significantly better
than the national 
picture of 0.1%.
o Local GVA growth outperforms national with an 18 %
increase
   compared to 13%
nationally.
o The district is leading
the way in non-EU trade with 60% of the
   district’s
exports going to these markets.
• We
work closely with the Mayor of West Yorkshire and Combined
Authority
   on securing
investment and growth for the Bradford district. Bradford
is
   named as a key hub
for growth in West Yorkshire’s growth plan.
• The
forthcoming Growth Strategy for the district highlights our
opportunity to
   become a leading
global city buy harnessing the legacy of the year as
City
   of Culture and
with unprecedented investment into a pipeline of major
and
   transformational
transport, housing, and net zero projects.
• A
new Growth and Skills Partnership has been established and will
meet for
  the first time this
month. The partnership will champion the current
pipeline
  and future major
projects, ensuring that growth and skills solutions reflect
the
  needs of the district
from the perspective of place, people and productivity.
• We
have a strong track record of working in partnership with
employers
   through our
SkillsHouse partnership to meet their talent and
workforce
   development needs
locally and to prepare our young people for the world of
   work.
• A
key way of attracting new businesses,
and retaining and growing existing
  businesses, will be to
get better connected to the rest of the country with a
  new city centre through
station on Northern Powerhouse Rail.
 
The Council resolves to:
 
•
Realise the ambition to become a globally renowned and competitive
district
  set out in the
forthcoming Growth Strategy
•
Create a culture within the Council that is open to business,
builds strategic
  relationships with local
employers, and has a strong support offer in
order to
  foster the conditions to
attract inward investment, grow our existing
  businesses and stimulate
start-ups.
•
Continue to work closely with the Mayor of West Yorkshire and
the
  Combined Authority to
drive new jobs and growth across our district.
 
To be actioned
by:  Strategic Director Place and
Corporate Resources/S151 Officer and All Strategic Directors
 
Under Council Standing Order 9.1.2 a vote was
taken to re-order the business on the agenda to move Motion 12.7
(unrestricted use of disabled
persons travel pass in West Yorkshire) to be the next motion to be
considered.
 
Resolved
–
 
That under Council Standing
Order 9.1.2 to re-order the business on the agenda to move
Motion 12.7 (unrestricted use of disabled persons travel pass in
West Yorkshire) to be the next Motion to be
considered.
 
 
 
 
Under Council Standing Order 9.1.2 a
further vote was taken to re-order the business on the agenda to
move the combined
debate on Motions 12.9 (anti-social fireworks) and 12.12 (tackling late night fireworks and associated
anti-social behaviour in Bradford) to be the next
motion to be considered after Motion 12.7.
 
Resolved –
 
That under Council Standing Order 9.1.2 to
re-order the business on the agenda to move the combined debate on
Motions 12.9 (anti-social fireworks) and 12.12 (tackling late
night fireworks and associated anti-social behaviour in Bradford)
to be the next motion to be considered after Motion
12.7.
 
 
Under Council Standing Order 9.1.2 a
further vote was taken to re-order the business on the agenda to
move Motion 10
(reform of Bradford Council’s flag protocol to be considered
after the combined debate on Motions 12.9 (anti-social
fireworks) and 12.12 (tackling late
night fireworks and associated anti-social behaviour in
Bradford).
 
 
Resolved –
 
That under Council Standing Order 9.1.2 to
re-order the business on the agenda to move Motion 10 (reform of
Bradford Council’s flag protocol be considered after the
combined debate on Motions 12.9 (anti-social
fireworks) and 12.12 (tackling late night fireworks and
associated anti-social behaviour in Bradford).
 

Motion 12.7    UNRESTRICTED
USE OF DISABLED PERSONS TRAVEL PASS IN WEST YORKSHIRE
 
As set out in the published agenda Motion 12.7
was moved by Councillor Stubbs and seconded by Councillor
Griffiths.
 
In accordance with Council
Standing Orders 18.4 and
18.8 an amendment (additional
published papers Amendment I) was moved by Councillor
Ross-Shaw and seconded by
Councillor Firth.
 
 Following
a number
of speakers in accordance with Council
Standing Order 18.12 Amendment I as
set out below was then put to the vote, was carried and became
the substantive motion, was then voted on and was
carried.         
 
Resolved-
 
That with the addition and
deletion of the appropriate words, the motion be amended to read as
follows:
 
Council notes that:
 
Under the
English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS), the Disabled
Person’s Travel Pass in West Yorkshire is valid off-peak
only, from 09:30 to midnight on weekdays, and all day at weekends
and public holidays.
In West
Yorkshire we are pleased to have been the recipients of
£125,113,339 of Bus Service Improvement Funding from
Government since the funding stream began.  This has been allocated as follows:
Fares support -
£76.31 million
Network support -
£42.2 million
Staffing, UTMC etc -
£6.59 million
 
It is this
money that has enabled West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin to keep
bus fares lower in West Yorkshire for everyone.  The Mayor’s Fares meant bus fares were
capped at £2 for a single journey until March 2025 when
prices increased to £2.50 capped for a single
journey.  This is still 50p below the
national fare.
 
The West
Yorkshire Combined Authority currently spends £40 million a
year on concessionary fares for senior and disabled persons
passholders.  Enhancements for the
statutory passholders are also in place to further support senior
and disabled passholders which includes free travel beyond
11pm.
 
As of
March 2025 WYCA had around 41,700
disabled ENCTS passes in circulation. 
This is up 2% compared with the same period last year.  Usage of blind and disabled person’s passes
are significantly higher with around 80% of passes used each
month.
WYCA has
had numerous requests from politicians and user groups for free and
reduced fares including:

People
with disabilities
Senior
residents
Care
Leavers
Social
Care staff
Unpaid
carers

 
Greater
Manchester Combined Authority are further along in franchising,
having completed the transfer and with the Bee Network now fully
established. They are currently doing a pilot on concessionary
fares before 9.30am for seniors and for people with
disabilities.
 
The West
Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin has chosen to franchise here in West
Yorkshire as well. The programme of implementation is happening
apace and franchising will therefore be
introduced in phases between 2027 and 2028. At that point the West
Yorkshire Mayor will be able to introduce a new ticketing strategy
for the new operating model.
 
A ticketing strategy is set to be developed
which will set out how we can use tickets and concessions to
further our aims for bus, as set out in the Bus Service Improvement
Plan (BSIP). This will come in draft to the West Yorkshire
Transport Committee towards the end of the year.
 
Council believes that:
 
Disabilities don’t start at 09:30. Time-of-day
restrictions undermine independence, access to early employment and
education, medical appointments, and family life (e.g., the school
run).
Removing
the restriction would promote independence, reduce social
isolation, support work, education, and volunteering, improve
access to healthcare, and encourage the use of public transport,
consistent with BMDC’s equality objectives and regional
mode-shift ambitions.
 
Council resolves to:
 
Ask the
West Yorkshire Mayor when reviewing the ticketing strategy as part
of franchising, to fully consider whether additional concessions
can be accommodated for different groups including people with
disabilities before 9.30am.
 
Closely
monitor the pilot concessionary fare scheme ongoing in Greater
Manchester with a view to including any learnings in West
Yorkshire.
 
Ask the
district’s MPs to back the bus and lobby to make sure that
the upcoming phases of BSIP, still to be announced include a
proportionate investment in West Yorkshire buses.
 
To be actioned by: 
Strategic Director Place
 
12.9   
ANTISOCIAL FIREWORKS
12.12  TACKLING LATE NIGHT
FIREWORKS AND ASSOCIATED          
ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOUR IN BRADFORD
 
Motion 12.9
 
As set out in the published agenda Motion 12.9
was moved by Councillor Kamran Hussain and seconded by Councillor
Hinchcliffe.
 
Following a number
of speakers Motion 12.9
as
set out below was then put to the vote and was
carried.         
 
Resolved-
 
Council notes:
 
Councillors and residents are angered by the
antisocial use of fireworks at all hours of day and night.
 
The decent majority
of people across all wards of our district treat each other
with mutual respect. It is a small number of people whose selfish
and antisocial actions are causing significant harm and distress to
their neighbours, injuries, and excessive pressures on emergency
services.
 
Currently, the legal decibel limit for
commercial fireworks is 120 decibels. We called for a reduction in
the legal limit to 90 decibels in our last council motion on this
issue.
 
It is illegal to set off fireworks between
11pm and 7am, except for Bonfire Night when the cut off is
midnight, and New Year’s Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year
when the cut off is 1am.
 
The council and partners have clamped down
with a range of prevention and enforcement measures over
a number of years:
 

·         A cross-party Corporate Scrutiny review published in 2021
highlighted what the council has powers to do as well as what it
doesn’t have powers to do. All recommendations were
implemented.
·         The council has, for several years, been
campaigning for tougher laws on the use of fireworks, something
which can only be made possible by changes to national
legislation.
·        The council has told all wedding venues across the district
to take fireworks out of wedding festivities and raise awareness of
the distressing impact fireworks have on residents, including the
young and old, those with disabilities and pets.
·         Council wardens also visit properties where there are signs
of a wedding taking place. They speak to householders and advise
them about the impact fireworks has on
the community, their legal responsibilities and the distressing
effect of fireworks on others.
·         Media campaign at certain times of the year to
highlight the impact of fireworks on the local
community.
 
We thank our district’s MPs for their
work with us on this issue.
In the previous parliament, Judith Cummins MP
introduced a bill to curb noisy fireworks which would have reduced
the legal noise limit for fireworks from 120 decibels (equivalent
of the sound of a pneumatic drill or chainsaw) down to 90 decibels
(the volume of a ringing phone). This view is also supported by the
RSPCA’s Out with the Bang campaign. While the bill did not go
forward to become law due to the General Election,the MP since met
with the Minister responsible for fireworks and continues to press
for action.
 
Council resolves
to:
 

·         Reaffirm our commitment to work with district MPs to both
drive change at a national level and work with police, fire and
trading standards partners at a local level in using our existing
powers to the full limit of the law.
·        Call for tougher national laws on the sale and antisocial
use of fireworks, including:
o   an outright ban on the private use of fireworks
except on specific dates in the year as outlined above, with only
organised licensed events allowed on other days
o   a much more restrictive licensing regime backed up by
additional funding for local authorities, police, trading standards
and fire services to enforce it
o   an outright ban on Category 3 fireworks (as well
as Category 4)

o   a reduction in the maximum
allowed decibel level.

 
To be
actioned by:  Strategic Director
Place

 

 Motion 12.12
 
As set out in the published agenda Motion 12.2
was moved by Councillor Salam and seconded by Councillor
Elahi.
 
In accordance with Council
Standing Orders 18.4 and
18.8 an amendment (additional
published papers Amendment M) was moved by Councillor Kamran
Hussain and seconded by
Councillor Hinchcliffe.
 
 Following
a number
of speakers in accordance with Council
Standing Order 18.12 Amendment M as
set out below was then put to the vote, was carried and became
the substantive motion, was then voted on and was
carried.         
 
Resolved-
 
That with the addition and
deletion of the appropriate words, the motion be amended to read as
follows:
 
Council notes:
 
Councillors
and residents are angered by the antisocial use of fireworks at all
hours of day and night.
 
The decent majority of people across all wards of our district treat each
other with mutual respect. It is a small number of people whose
selfish and antisocial actions are causing significant harm and
distress to their neighbours, injuries, and excessive pressures on
emergency services.
 
Currently,
the legal decibel limit for commercial fireworks is 120 decibels.
We called for a reduction in the legal limit to 90 decibels in our
last council motion on this issue.
 
It is
illegal to set off fireworks between 11pm and 7am, except for
Bonfire Night when the cut off is midnight, and New Year’s
Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year when the cut off is
1am.
 
The council
and partners have clamped down with a range of prevention and
enforcement measures over a number of
years:

•       
A cross-party Corporate Scrutiny review
published in 2021 highlighted what the council has powers to do as
well as what it doesn’t have powers to do. All
recommendations were implemented.

•    
The council has, for several years, been
campaigning for tougher laws on the use of fireworks, something
which can only be made possible by changes to national
legislation.

•    
The council has told all wedding venues
across the district to take fireworks out of wedding festivities
and raise awareness of the distressing impact fireworks have on
residents, including the young and old, those with disabilities and
pets.

•    
Council wardens also visit properties
where there are signs of a wedding taking place. They speak to
householders and advise them about the impact fireworks has on the
community, their legal responsibilities and the distressing effect
of fireworks on others.

•    
Media campaign at certain times of the
year to highlight the impact of fireworks on the local
community.
We thank
our district’s MPs for their work with us on this
issue.
 
In the
previous parliament, Judith Cummins MP introduced a bill to curb
noisy fireworks which would have reduced the legal noise limit for
fireworks from 120 decibels (equivalent of the sound of a pneumatic
drill or chainsaw) down to 90 decibels (the volume of a ringing
phone). This view is also supported by the RSPCA’s Out with
the Bang campaign. While the bill did not go forward to become law
due to the General Election, the MP since met with the Minister
responsible for fireworks and continues to press for
action.
 
Council resolves to:
 

•    
Reaffirm our commitment to work with
district MPs to both drive change at a national level and work with
police, fire and trading standards partners at a local level in
using our existing powers to the full limit of the law.

•    
Call for tougher national laws on the
sale and antisocial use of fireworks, including:
-         
an outright ban on the private use of
fireworks except on specific dates in the year as outlined above,
with only organised licensed events allowed on other
days
-         
a much more restrictive licensing regime
backed up by additional funding for local authorities, police,
trading standards and fire services to enforce it
-         
an outright ban on Category 3 fireworks
(as well as Category 4)
-         
a reduction in the maximum allowed
decibel level.
 
To be actioned by: Strategic Director
Place
Motion 12.10  REFORM OF BRADFORD COUNCIL’S FLAG
PROTOCOL
As set out in the
published agenda Motion 12.10 was moved by Councillor Ishtiaq Ahmed
and seconded by Councillor Saddiq.
 In accordance with Council Standing
Orders 18.4 and
18.8 an amendment (additional
published papers Amendment J) was moved by Councillor
Hinchcliffe and seconded by
Councillor Imran Khan.
 
 In accordance with Council Standing
Orders 18.4
and 18.8 a second
amendment (additional published papers Amendment K) was moved
by Councillor Winnard and seconded by Councillor Pollard.
 
Following a number
of speakers in accordance with Council
Standing Order 18.12 Amendment K was put to the vote and
lost.  Following a recorded vote Amendment J as set out
below was put to the vote, was carried and became the substantive
motion, was then voted on and was carried.
 
Resolved-
 
That with the
addition and deletion of the appropriate words, the motion be
amended to read as follows:
 
This Council believes
 

The council’s flag protocol is an effective
document used daily to celebrate and remember the many days of
significance for the people of the Bradford district.  Daily we fly the Union Flag from City Hall and
Town Halls across the district.

It was right to fly the flag of Palestine on
22nd September, an historic day when the UK Government
recognised the sovereign state of Palestine for the first
time.

We should fly the flag of Palestine again for the
29th November on the UN day
of solidarity with the Palestinian people who the UN commission of
inquiry has concluded are suffering genocide. We ask the Director
of Legal and Governance to add it to Appendix B of the flag
protocol so it can be raised annually.

That it would be wrong to review the council flag
protocol just because the independent Group want the mechanism to
stop the council flying flags at short notice.

The Council resolves to
 

make sure that all councillors are aware of the
council constitution and the flag protocol within that.

Ask the Director of Legal and Governance to amend
the flag protocol to allow  the Palestinian flag to be flown every year
on 29th November.

To be actioned by: Director of Legal and
Governance
 
12.4    ST IVES
ESTATE, HARDEN
As set out in the published agenda Motion 12.4
was moved by Councillor Winnard and seconded by Councillor
Sullivan.
 
In accordance with Council Standing Orders
18.4
and 18.8 an
amendment (additional published papers Amendment D) was moved
by Councillor Ross-Shaw and seconded by Councillor Hinchcliffe.
 
 Following a number
of speakers in accordance with Council
Standing Order 18.12 Amendment D as set out
below was then put to the vote, was carried and became the
substantive motion, was then voted on and was
carried.         
 
Resolved-
 
That with the
addition and deletion of the appropriate words, the motion be
amended to read as follows:
 
Council notes:
 
·        
The St Ives Estate is a 550-acre country
park and former estate between Bingley and Harden and is the
largest park in the Bradford District. The estate and mansion were
bought by Bingley Urban District Council in 1929 and continue to be
owned by Bradford Council.
·        
The Country Park is a major visitor
destination attracting circa 300,000 visitors per annum from across
Bradford district and surrounding areas.
·        
The park has Grade II listing in the
English Heritage National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of
Special Interest. The Park has been given Accredited Country Park
Status by Natural England.
·        
The Estate is also used by Bingley St
Ives Golf Club, the Sports Turf Research Institute, an equestrian
centre and some residential properties.
·        
The Grade 2 listed St Ives Mansion House
is a centrepiece of the Estate, the
leasehold is owned by a private company with the Council owning the
freehold. It has been left derelict and insecure for some years and
is a focus of ongoing antisocial behaviour. The site was recently
inhabited by a group of Travellers and little effort by the current
owners seems to have been taken to direct them to a more suitable
site. Council officers have already been asked to review the terms
of the freehold to consider what powers are available to address
this issue.
·        
Residents, businesses, the Friends of St
Ives, Harden Town Council and Ward Councillors have all expressed
concern about the current state of some of the buildings and land
on the Estate.
·        
Officers have been instructed to develop
a masterplan for St Ives taking account of the council’s
strategic priorities, strategically considering all assets on the
estate, particularly where council-owned, to inform future funding
bids to restore and improve the estate as a living, working,
visitor attraction for the district and region.
 
Council resolves to:
 
•                   
Request that officers prepare a report
for the Executive on the current situation on St Ives estate and
issues of concern. The report will consider all the legal options
available to the Council. The intention is that the leaseholder of
the Mansion House should be required to meet their
obligations.
•                   
Take speedy appropriate enforcement
action when either planning or environmental requirements appear to
have been contravened on the Estate.
•                   
Continue working with the Police and
Environmental Health Team to address antisocial behaviour and
fly-tipping.
•                   
Accelerate work to develop the masterplan
for the St Ives Estate that includes full engagement with local
Ward Councillors, Harden Parish Council, Bingley Town Council, the
Friends of St Ives and other interested parties.
 
To be actioned by: Strategic Director Place and
Director Corporate Resources/S151 Officer
 
12.5    BRING
THE WATER INDUSTRY BACK INTO PUBLIC HANDS
As set out in the published
agenda Motion 12.5 was moved by Councillor Ros Brown and seconded
by Councillor Caroline Whitaker.
 In accordance with
Council Standing Orders 18.4 and
18.8 an amendment (additional
published papers Amendment E) was moved by Councillor
Hinchcliffe and seconded by
Councillor Ross-shaw.
 
 In accordance with
Council Standing Orders 18.4 and
18.8 a second amendment (additional
published papers Amendment F) was moved by Councillor Poulsen
and seconded by Councillor
Loy.
 
Following
a number
of speakers in accordance with Council
Standing Order 18.12 Amendment F was put to the vote and
lost.  Amendment E as set out below was then put to the
vote, was carried and became the substantive motion, was then voted
on and was carried.
 
Resolved-
 
That with the addition and
deletion of the appropriate words, the motion be amended to read as
follows:
 
This Council notes:
 

•             
Yorkshire Water inherited zero debt when
it was privatised in 1989.

•             
When it privatised Yorkshire Water, the
Conservative government of   the
time paid off £559m in debt with taxpayers’ money and
sold the organisation for just £660m when it had assets
valued at £11bn.

•             
Since 1989, Yorkshire Water shareholders
have extracted almost £10bn from the company, invested just
£1.8bn and amassed debts of £6.2bn.

•          
Yorkshire Water announced that water
bills across the region will increase by 29% in 2025-26 claiming
this was needed to pay for essential repairs.

•          
The failure of Ofwat to do its job in
regulating and holding water companies to account.

•          
The UK has just had one of the driest and
warmest springs in over a century, and extreme weather is becoming
the new normal.

•             
Earlier this year, Yorkshire Water (along
with South East Water,  
    Southern Water, and Thames
Water) introduced a hosepipe ban for households.

•             
Approximately 275.3 million litres are
lost every day because of        leakages from the
Yorkshire Water network. The Environment Agency     has reported that 21% of Yorkshire
Water's supplies were lost due to    leakage, higher than the national average of
19%.

•             
More investment is urgently needed to
maintain the clean water system      and reservoirs and to make sure
there is enough water during the      increasingly hot summers of the
future.

•             
Local voluntary groups and charities,
such as the Aire Rivers Trust,            
Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust and Ilkley Clean River Group, are
working          
hard to highlight the state of our rivers and to urge our regional
water      company to
improve river   health.
 
Council also notes:
 

•             
Earlier this year, it was revealed that
the Chief Executive of Yorkshire         Water, Nicola
Shaw was paid £660,000 by the company’s
Jersey-     registered
parent company, Kelda Holdings - despite previously    claiming it would “not be
appropriate” to accept this additional          
payment on top of her salary.

•             
Dividend payments and debt repayments
accounted for roughly a third       of the bill paid by a
typical household to Yorkshire Water.

•             
Urgent action is needed to tackle leaks
and bring about stricter         regulation of
private water companies and long-term reforms to         essential
utilities.

•             
The current system rewards pollution and
puts profit before water   
security. This broken system needs fixing to run water services for
the          benefit
of the public.

•             
The understandable public outrage at
all of the above.

•             
The completion of the Cunliffe Review of
the water industry, commissioned by the Labour Government as soon
as it got into office and welcomes that   subsequently, the Labour government announced
   the “biggest overhaul of
     water since
privatisation” including          
abolishing Ofwat and establishing a new, single, powerful regulator
       to
       
cut water pollution in England’s rivers, lakes and seas, and
protect          
families from massive bill hikes.

•             
The Labour Government’s Water
(Special Measures) Act which has           
boosted the powers of the regulator to tackle pollution.
Council resolves to:
 
Back the
calls of the Yorkshire Mayor and Yorkshire Leaders Board in
challenging Yorkshire Water to explain:
 

1. The Board's strategy for rebuilding
public trust and confidence

2. The Board's position on the newly
discovered executive remuneration arrangements and the governance
structures that permitted these to be unrecorded
payments

3. Yorkshire Water's commitment to
transparent reporting of all executive compensation
4.Encourage
people to sign Anna Dixon MP’s petition to tackle back-handed
bonuses.
 
5. Ask the
Leader of the Council to write to the Secretary of State for the
Environment asking her to look at alternative ownership models to
the current operating structure, up to and including bringing water
companies back into public control.
 
To be actioned by: 
Strategic Director Place/Leader of the Council
12.6    SAFEGUARDING BRADFORD’S COUNCIL
HOUSING STOCK
 
As set out in the
published agenda Motion 12.6 was moved by Councillor Wheatley and
seconded by Councillor Warnes.
 In accordance with Council Standing
Orders 18.4
and 18.8 an
amendment (additional published papers Amendment G) was moved
by Councillor Hinchcliffe and seconded by Councillor Ross-shaw.
 
 In accordance with Council Standing
Orders 18.4
and 18.8 a second
amendment (additional published papers Amendment H) was moved
by Councillor Sunderland and seconded by Councillor Stubbs.
 
Following a number
of speakers in accordance with Council
Standing Order 18.12 Amendment H was put to the vote and
lost.  Amendment G as set out below was then put to the
vote, was carried and became the substantive motion, was then voted
on and was carried.
 
Resolved-
 
That with the
addition and deletion of the appropriate words, the motion be
amended to read as follows:
 
Bradford Council notes:
 

The Right
to Buy (RTB) scheme is a statutory entitlement under the Housing
Act 1985. Local authorities do not currently have the legal power
to suspend or opt out of the scheme, which remains in force across
England.
In
November 2024, the Government introduced changes that:

Capped RTB
discounts in Yorkshire at £24,000.
Enabled
councils to retain 100% of RTB receipts for replacement homes,
provided they are used within five years and meet qualifying
criteria.

The
Government has also launched a consultation on further RTB reform,
including proposals to give councils greater local discretion over
sales, discounts and exemptions for newly built or acquired
homes.
The
Government made a series of positive announcements on its plan for
a significant proportion of the affordable housing budget to be
allocated for social rented housing, and to make newly built social
and affordable homes exempt from Right to Buy for 35 years as part
of a policy drive to “significantly support” councils
to build.
The
additional work already undertaken by the Labour government to
improve and review housing conditions and access, as well as the
announcement to invest £39bn towards affordable housing
development, is a positive step to tackle the UK housing
crisis.
Bradford
Council currently owns 427 council homes. As of July 2025, 24 RTB
applications are in progress and two
completions have taken place in the past year.
The
Council’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan,
adopted in 2023, included a growth scenario aiming for up to 800
council homes by 2028, which is currently under active review to
reflect updated assumptions, market conditions and delivery
capacity.
Demand for
affordable housing remains high, with over 18,000 households on the
Housing Register. The Council is committed to a renewed and
ambitious programme to increase the supply of good-quality,
affordable homes.

 
Bradford Council believes:
 

We have a
responsibility to tackle the current housing crisis across our
district and that Local Authorities are best placed to understand
and respond to their own housing needs, including the impact of RTB
on affordable housing supply.
While the
Government’s recent reforms are welcome, further change is
needed to ensure social housing stock can be protected and expanded
where need is acute.
Delivering
genuinely affordable housing at scale requires a long-term
strategy, sustained investment and stronger local
powers.

 
Bradford Council resolves:
 

To write
to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local
Government to:

Rapidly
implement the recent RTB reforms which we welcome, including the
discount cap and 100% retention of receipts.
Request
that these flexibilities be extended beyond 2025/26.
Call for
further legislative reform to:

Speedily
allow local authorities to suspend RTB in specific high-need
areas.
Exempt
newly built or acquired homes from RTB.
Vary
discounts or eligibility locally, in line with local housing needs
and plans.

To work
with the Local Government Association and other councils to lobby
for a Right to Buy framework that enables local discretion,
supports full replacement and safeguards social
housing.
To
reaffirm its commitment to delivering a significantly expanded
council housing programme, and to complete the current review of
HRA delivery plans with a view to setting a realistic but ambitious
target for new council homes, aligned with local need and funding
opportunities.
To publish
an annual statement of homes lost through RTB and new homes
delivered or acquired, to ensure transparency and track
progress.

 
To be actioned by: 
Strategic Director Adult Social Care, Health and Housing
 
12.8    CELEBRATING PRIDE
IN OUR PLACE
 
Resolved –
 
That
under Council Standing Order 9.1.6 Motion 12.8 Celebrating Pride in
our Place be withdrawn from the agenda.
 

12.11  CALL TO
DIVEST THE WEST YORKSHIRE PENSION FUND FROM COMPANIES THAT ARE
COMPLICIT IN OR PROFIT FROM THE VIOLATION OF PALESTINIAN HUMAN
RIGHTS, INTERNATIONAL LAW AND ACTS OF ETHNIC CLEANSING
 
 
    Resolved
–

    
That under Council Standing Order 9.1.6 Motion 12.11 Call to
Divest the West Yorkshire Pension fund from companies that are
complicit in or profit from the violation of Palestinian Human
Rights, International Law and Acts of Ethnic Cleansing
be withdrawn from the agenda.