Decision

1. 4 BUS FRANCHISING: THE STATUS QUO IS NOT ENOUGH

Under Council Standing Order 9.1.6 a vote was taken to withdraw the motion from the agenda.

Resolved –

That under Council Standing Order 9.1.6 Motion 12.4 (Bus Franchising: the status quo is not enough) be withdrawn from the agenda.

1. 7    HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN AZAD JAMMU & KASHMIR AND       THE IMPACT ON BRADFORD'S BRITISH KASHMIRI COMMUNITY

Under Council Standing Order 9.1.6 a vote was taken to withdraw the motion from the agenda.

Resolved –

That under Council Standing Order 9.1.6 Motion 12.7 (Humanitarian Situation in Azad Jammu & Kashmir and the impact on Bradford’s British Kashmiri Community) be withdrawn from the agenda.

1. 12.8    YORKSHIRE WATER: ACCOUNTABILITY FOR BRADFORD RESIDENTS AND A RETURN TO PUBLIC OWNERSHIP                                      

Under Council Standing Order 9.1.6 a vote was taken to withdraw the motion from the agenda.

Resolved –

That under Council Standing Order 9.1.6 Motion 12.8 (Yorkshire Water: accountability for Bradford residents and a return to public ownership) be withdrawn from the agenda.

Under Council Standing Order 9.1.2 a vote was taken to re-order the business on the agenda to move Motion 12.10 (CAZ and Health Outcomes) to be considered after Motion 12.3 (Article 4 Direction on Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs).    

Resolved –

That under Council Standing Order 9.1.2 to re-order the business on the agenda to move Motion 12.10 (CAZ and Health Outcomes) to be considered after Motion 12.3 (Article 4 Direction on Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs).    

1. 1    WITHDRAWAL FROM CITY OF SANCTUARY STATUS 

As set out in the published agenda Motion 12.1 was moved by Councillor Walker and seconded by Councillor Eglin.

In accordance with Council Standing Orders 18.4 and 18.8 an amendment (additional published papers Amendment A) was moved by Councillor Ford and seconded by Councillor Davies.

Following a number of speakers in accordance with Council Standing Order 25.3 Councillor Imran Khan requested that a recorded vote be taken on Amendment A and the motion which was supported.

In accordance with Council Standing Order 18.12 Amendment A moved by Councillor Ford was put to the vote and lost. The Motion moved by Councillor Walker was then put to the vote and lost.

1. 12.2    SUPPORTING WHITE WORKING CLASS CHILDREN 

 As set out in the published agenda Motion 12.2 was moved by Councillor Birch and seconded by Councillor Morgan.

In accordance with Council Standing Orders 18.4 and 18.8 an amendment (additional published papers Amendment B) was moved by Councillor Watson and seconded by Councillor McInnes.

In accordance with Council Standing Orders 18.4 and 18.8 a second amendment (additional published papers Amendment C) was moved by Councillor Shabir and seconded by Councillor Ali.

In accordance with Council Standing Orders 18.4 and 18.8 a third amendment (additional published papers Amendment D) was moved by Councillor Fricker and seconded by Councillor Imran Khan.

In accordance with Council Standing Orders 18.4 and 18.8 a fourth amendment (additional published papers Amendment E) was moved by Councillor Davies and seconded by Councillor Poulsen.

Following a number of speakers in accordance with Council Standing Order 18.12 Amendment E was put to the vote and lost.  Amendment D was put to the vote and lost. Amendment C was put to the vote and lost. Amendment B was put to the vote and lost. The motion moved by Councillor Birch as set out below was then put to the vote and was carried.

Resolved –

Council notes:

• That white working class children, particularly boys, experience significant educational disadvantage, and thus limited progression into higher education and skilled careers.

• That the Department for Work and Pensions ‘Young people and work: interim report’ (May 2026) found that:

• 27% of white working class pupils say they rarely or never enjoy lessons, compared with 18% of white middle class pupils and 12% of non-white middle class pupils.
• 23% of white working class pupils say they rarely or never feel confident about what they are learning, compared with 13% of white middle class and 9% of non-white middle class pupils.

• That the Independent Inquiry into White Working Class Educational Outcomes (June 2026) found that:

• Only 36% of white pupils eligible for free school meals achieve a Grade 4 or above in English and Maths GCSE, compared with 72% of all pupils who are not eligible.
• 13% of school sessions are missed by white working class pupils, compared to 7% for all pupils.
• White working class boys are the single group most likely to be suspended or permanently excluded from school.
• Only 52% of white working class pupils told the Inquiry that they were likely to go to university, compared with 82% of their peers.

• That the ‘Lost Boys: State of the Nation’ report (March 2025), authored by the Centre for Social Justice, found that:

• Among pupils eligible for free school meals, white British boys had one of the lowest progression rates to higher education at just 13.7%, substantially below many other disadvantaged ethnic groups.
• Across all ethnic groups, boys on free school meals perform significantly worse than girls, meaning white working class boys face the combined effects of socioeconomic disadvantage and gender-related educational underachievement.

• That within Bradford’s Key Stage 4 cohort, outcomes for white pupils with free school meals are among the weakest.

Council believes:

• That every young person in the Bradford District should have the opportunity to succeed in education, gain meaningful employment and build a secure and prosperous future, regardless of their background.

• That disadvantage felt and experienced by white working class children should be addressed wherever it occurs and that public services should be responsive to the barriers these children face.

Council resolves:

• To write to the Secretary of State for Education and the Minister for Women and Equalities to request UK Government priority in addressing the needs of white working class children, particularly boys.

• To recognise these needs as part of the Council's wider commitment to tackling educational inequality, poverty and social immobility.

• To ask the Acting Strategic Director of Children’s Services and relevant Council officers to assess the educational outcomes of white working class children, both boys and girls, across the Bradford District, including school attendance and attainment, post-16 participation, apprenticeships and progression into skilled employment.

• To request an annual report to full Council setting out progress made in these outcomes.

• To use any findings to inform the Council's economic, skills and children's services strategies, ensuring that no young people are left behind.

• To work with schools, colleges, universities, employers, apprenticeship providers and the voluntary and community sector to develop targeted support for white working class children and other young people at risk of falling behind or becoming economically inactive.

• To facilitate and encourage local businesses to offer meaningful work experience, apprenticeships, mentoring and entry-level opportunities to local school leavers.

To be actioned by: Acting Strategic Director, Children’s                                                    Services/Office of the Chief Executive

At this point motions were brought and seconded to withdraw the following motions (12.10 and 12.5) from the agenda:

1. 10  CAZ & HEALTH OUTCOMES

Under Council Standing Order 9.1.6 a vote was taken to withdraw the motion from the agenda.

Resolved –

That under Council Standing Order 9.1.6 Motion 12.10 (CAZ & health outcomes) be withdrawn from the agenda.

1. 5    SAVING DALTON MILLS, KEIGHLEY       

Under Council Standing Order 9.1.6 a vote was taken to withdraw the motion from the agenda.

Resolved –

That under Council Standing Order 9.1.6 Motion 12.5 (Saving Dalton Mills, Keighley) be withdrawn from the agenda.

1. 3    ARTICLE 4 DIRECTION ON HOUSES IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION        (HMOs)

As set out in the published agenda Motion 12.3 was moved by Councillor Morgan and Seconded by Councillor Place.

In accordance with Council Standing Orders 18.4 and 18.8 an amendment (additional published papers Amendment F) was moved by Councillor Edwards and seconded by Councillor Hawarun Hussain.

In accordance with Council Standing Orders 18.4 and 18.8 a second amendment (additional published papers Amendment G) was moved by Councillor Choudhry and seconded by Councillor Firth.

In accordance with Council Standing Orders 18.4 and 18.8 a third amendment (additional published papers Amendment H) was moved by Councillor Cochrane and seconded by Councillor Felstead.

Following a number of speakers in accordance with Council Standing Order 18.12 Amendment H was put to the vote and lost. Amendment G was put to the vote and lost. Amendment F 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 Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) provide an important source of accommodation for some residents, and that well managed HMOs retain a legitimate role within the local housing market.

• That as of July 2026, the Housing Operations Team confirmed 344 licensed HMOs across Bradford District and estimated circa 1500 overall.
• That there is, however, no authoritative data on the number of HMOs across Bradford District as many smaller HMOs do not require mandatory licenses.

• That Manningham, Little Horton, Heaton and other neighbourhoods close to the city centre are often cited by concerned residents as having particularly high HMO concentrations.

• That neighbourhoods with HMOs can suffer adverse effects, including:
  • Loss of owner-occupied and family housing, negatively changing neighbourhood character.
  • Excess vehicles and associated parking pressure.
  • Significant waste generation.
  • Noise disturbance and anti-social behaviour.
  • Unsustainable demand on local services, such as refuse management.
• That an Article 4 Direction can be used to remove the permitted development right that allows a standard dwellinghouse (Use Class C3) to be changed into a small HMO (Use Class C4) without planning permission.
• That via Oxford City Council and Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council, local government precedence exists for Article 4 Directions to be applied on district-wide bases.
• The Housing Act 2004 also provides for licensing to be extended by a local authority to include HMOs not covered by mandatory licensing. (For example, a local authority could extend licensing to include all HMOs in a specific area, or the whole district). Additional licensing can be introduced where the local authority believes that a significant proportion of HMOs are poorly managed and giving rise to problems for residents or the general public.
• Local authorities can also add discretionary conditions that relate to the management, use and occupation of the house, and its condition and contents. Examples of possible discretionary conditions include requiring steps to be taken to prevent or reduce antisocial behaviour by occupiers or visitors.

Council believes:

• That the local authority is responsible for ensuring robust management of the local housing market and thusly HMOs.
• That in order to address deep public concern and reduce adverse effects felt by Bradford residents, the local authority should limit further HMO conversions.

Council resolves:

• To request that the Strategic Director - Growth urgently brings forward a report to Council via the Regulatory and Appeals Committee advising on:
  • introduction of a direction pursuant to Article 4(1) of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015, withdrawing the permitted development right that allows a standard dwellinghouse (Use Class C3) to be changed into a small HMO (Use Class C4) without planning permission, with application throughout Bradford District within twelve months.
• To request the Strategic Director – Growth brings a report to the Executive to outline options for additional licencing and how that could be introduced within Bradford District.

To be actioned by: Strategic Director Growth

1. 6    BRADFORD DISTRICT PEOPLE CAN       

As set out in the published agenda Motion 12.6 was moved by Councillor Kamran Hussain and seconded by Councillor Imran Khan.

In accordance with Council Standing Orders 18.4 and 18.8 an amendment (additional published papers Amendment M) was moved by Councillor Walker and seconded by Councillor Morgan.

In accordance with Council Standing Orders 18.4 and 18.8 a second amendment (additional published papers Amendment N) was moved by Councillor Davies and seconded by Councillor Falak Ahmed.

In accordance with Council Standing Order 19.1 Councillor Imran Khan moved that the motion be put straight to the vote without debate, this was seconded by Councillor Kamran Hussain.    

Resolved –

That under Council Standing Order 19.1 Motion 12.6 (Bradford District People Can) be put to the vote immediately without debate.

In accordance with Council Standing Order 18.12 Amendment N was put to the vote and lost. 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:

People Can is an initiative run by the council and partners working with local communities across the district to tackle environmental blight, clean up local areas and take pride in where we live.

Rolling days of action are a big part of People Can. They bring together council frontline services alongside partner organisations and residents to provide a coordinated, highly visible and rapid response to persistent environmental problems affecting local areas.

The council also works in partnership with West Yorkshire Police to deliver targeted joint enforcement operations on vehicles suspected to be transporting waste and carries out proactive Duty of Care inspections of businesses to ensure compliance with statutory waste management obligations.

The council invested an additional £1m in People Can as part of more than £2.5m of additional investments to tackle blight and improve our shared environment in the budget set by full council on 10th March 2026.

The additional £1m for People Can will fund a Day of Action on every single weekday of the year, clear more gullies, tackle more fly-tipping and get rid of more abandoned and untaxed vehicles from our streets.

Other investments made through the March 2026 council budget include an additional £400,000 to reduce the cost of bulky waste collections for residents, £150,000 for more trees management, £450,000 for enhanced city centre waste-related enforcement, £300,000 for parks maintenance improvements and another £350,000 for further enforcement capacity to tackle unacceptable housing and other blights on local communities.

Residents have the right to expect clean streets, maintained parks and public spaces, and neighbourhoods free from litter, fly-tipping and environmental crime.

Tackling environmental blight is essential to improving civic pride, supporting local businesses, protecting the environment and enhancing the quality of life of residents across every part of the District.

Council resolves:

To reaffirm its support for People Can and the council’s coordinated work with partner agencies, community groups and residents to tackle litter, fly-tipping and environmental blight across the district.

To continue to support targeted Days of Action and joint enforcement activity with West Yorkshire Police and other partner organisations to address persistent environmental problems.

To request that officers continue to promote People Can, highlighting successful projects and encouraging greater community participation across every ward.

To request that the Department of Environment bring a report to the Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee setting out how environmental enforcement activity, Days of Action and neighbourhood improvement initiatives are being delivered, together with measurable outcomes including reductions in fly-tipping, littering and environmental crime.

To be actioned by:  Strategic Director Environment

1. 12.9    RESTORING LOCAL RECYCLING FACILITIES

Motion 12.9 was moved by Councillor Downey and seconded by Councillor Loy.

In accordance with Council Standing Orders 18.4 and 18.8 an amendment (additional published papers Amendment R) was moved by Councillor Walker and seconded by Councillor Eglin.

In accordance with Council Standing Orders 18.4 and 18.8 a second amendment (additional published papers Amendment S) was moved by Councillor Imran Khan and seconded by Councillor Choudhry.

In accordance with Council Standing Orders 18.4 and 18.8 a third amendment (additional published papers Amendment T) was moved by Councillor Downey and seconded by Councillor Loy.

In accordance with Council Standing Order 18.10 Councillor Winnard with the consent of Councillor Downey as the mover of the motion and amendment agreed to incorporate Amendment T into the Motion.

At this point in accordance with Council Standing Order 20.1 the bell was rung and the vote was taken without any further discussion on this Motion’s amendments and the Motion incorporating Amendment T.

Resolved:

In accordance with Council Standing Order 18.12 Amendment S was put to the vote and lost. Amendment R was put to the vote and lost. The Motion incorporating Amendment T was then put to the vote and lost.

In accordance with Council Standing Order 20.2 the remaining motions on the agenda were deemed formerly moved and seconded (together with any amendments) votes were taken in the usual way without discussion.

1. 11 HOLIDAY “TAX” IMPACT ON LOCAL TOURISM BUSINESSES AND           FAMILIES 

In accordance with Council Standing Order 18.12 Amendment Z was put to the vote and lost. Amendment Y was put to the vote and lost. The Motion was then put to the vote and lost.

1. 12  TACKLING NITROUS OXIDE MISUSE THROUGH STRONGER ENFORCEMENT AND DISTRICT-WIDE EDUCATION

In accordance with Council Standing Order 18.12 Amendment AA 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 notes:

• The increasing visibility of nitrous oxide misuse in parts of the Bradford District, including reports of discarded canisters and the consumption of nitrous oxide in and around public spaces, parks, lay-bys, residential areas and other community locations.
• That since November 2023, the unlawful possession of nitrous oxide for the purpose of inhalation has been a criminal offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, following its classification as a Class C drug.
• That nitrous oxide misuse can cause serious physical and neurological harm, particularly where it is used repeatedly or in large quantities, and that its misuse can also contribute to anti-social behaviour, environmental blight and concerns about community safety.
• That residents should not have to accept the open use of drugs and the associated littering and anti-social behaviour in their neighbourhoods, parks and public spaces.
• That the Council already has a range of powers available to address anti-social behaviour and protect public spaces, including Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs), where the necessary legal tests are satisfied.
• That effective enforcement should be accompanied by prevention and education, particularly for young people, so that residents understand that nitrous oxide is not a harmless recreational substance and are aware of the potential consequences of its misuse.

This Council believes:

• That tackling nitrous oxide misuse requires a coordinated approach between Bradford Council, West Yorkshire Police, public health services, schools, youth services and community organisations.
• That where there is clear evidence of persistent or significant problems in particular locations, the Council should consider whether existing PSPOs are sufficient and whether additional or amended restrictions are legally justified and proportionate.
• That enforcement should focus on areas where there is evidence of persistent misuse and associated anti-social behaviour, while ensuring that Council enforcement officers and partners have clear and lawful powers to act.
• That enforcement alone will not address the underlying problem and must be supported by a targeted programme of education and prevention across the district.

This Council resolves:

• To ask the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee to commission an urgent review of the Council's existing PSPOs and other available anti-social behaviour powers, specifically to assess whether additional restrictions relating to the unlawful possession and consumption of nitrous oxide for inhalation are necessary and legally justified in identified hotspots, where evidence demonstrates a persistent problem.
• To request that the Council works with West Yorkshire Police to establish a coordinated enforcement approach in identified hotspots, including appropriate use of existing enforcement powers, intelligence-led patrols and action against associated anti-social behaviour and environmental nuisance.
• To ask officers to report back to the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee as part of this review on the practical enforcement options available to Council officers, including the circumstances in which officers can seize or otherwise deal with nitrous oxide canisters, issue Fixed Penalty Notices where legally permitted, and refer criminal offences to West Yorkshire Police.
• To request that the Council's Public Health service develops a district-wide education and prevention campaign on nitrous oxide misuse, working with secondary schools, colleges, youth services, community organisations and other relevant partners.
• That the campaign should provide clear, evidence-based information about the physical and neurological risks associated with nitrous oxide misuse, the legal position since its classification as a Class C drug, and where young people and families can obtain advice and support.
• To ask the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee to ensure that the outcome of the review, together with any recommendations for additional enforcement, PSPO amendments and education activity, is reported to a future meeting of the Regulatory and Appeals Committee, including the evidence base, legal considerations, anticipated costs and measures by which effectiveness will be assessed.

To be actioned by: Director of Public Health, Strategic Director Environment and Director of Legal and Governance