In addition to £2.5 million of extra funding to support adult services, the Conservatives have proposed the creation of a £5 million strategic reserve to ensure the Council can continue to respond to the changing economic circumstances and task the management of the authority, through the present organisational review, to drive out even greater efficiencies and make the best possible savings for local residents in the years ahead.

The Conservative proposals also include significant increases in funding in a range of other areas including highways, gritting, recycling and community halls.

And there are a series of new initiatives including a city centre cycle race, an Imagination Library, a campaign to encourage older residents to take up benefits they are entitled to, a wave of community clean-ups plus extensions to the already very successful b someone campaign and Community Warmth scheme.

Conservative Group Leader Cllr Kris Hopkins, who unveiled the Conservative proposals at this afternoon’s meeting of the Council’s Executive in Bradford City Hall, commented:

“The Conservative budget proposals are the result of a lot of very hard work from Group Members, professionally assisted by Council officers, over the last number of months.

“We have been very conscious of the ongoing financial restraints not only on the Council but, more importantly, on local residents and that is underlined by our desire to see a freeze in Council Tax for the next 12 months.

“Given that a Conservative Government, if elected, has already committed to funding any Council Tax rises of up to 2.5% for all local authorities who stay at or below that figure for its first two years in office, we hope Bradford district residents will therefore enjoy an effective three-year freeze on their bills.

“Adult services are very much a priority for the Conservatives, as evidenced by the £2.5 million of additional funding we have made available to ensure that the needs of older residents in the district will continue to be extremely well catered for.

“A few weeks ago we allocated £300,000 to fix potholes across the district following the long cold snap.  But we must think into the longer term so, in addition to an extra £300,000 in one-off monies, we have increased the amount of funding going to highways by £800,000 on a permanent basis.

“We have also responded to residents’ concerns by providing £100,000 to provide new grit bins across the district together with £150,000 of new resources to ensure they are refilled promptly and efficiently at times of greatest need.

“And, in other areas, we are continuing to support the b someone campaign, Community Warmth, uniformed youth groups, community halls, recycling and the environment plus we have proposed a number of new ventures including the launch of a Bradford city cycling race – which we would intend to finance for at least two years - and an Imagination Library.

“Specific permanent funding has also been set aside to support the district’s St George’s Day celebrations and the civic Carol Service, and we have allocated £50,000 so we can begin planning now to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

“Add to all of this the £5 million strategic reserve coupled with the requirement for the Chief Executive to drive out efficiencies to ensure Bradford Council provides the best possible value for money for local residents, and I believe the Conservatives have put forward a budget which is responsible and very good news for this district.

“As a hung Council, I am obviously fully aware that we must work with the other political parties to find an agreed way ahead.

“I now look forward to sitting down with the other Group Leaders in the coming days to seek to do just that.”

“Many people will be aware that Bradford was recently labelled the ‘uninsured driving capital of Britain’ following the publication of a report by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau which found that, in some parts of the city, up to 49.5% of drivers were uninsured,” commented Cllr Kris Hopkins, Leader of the Conservative Group, who will be proposing the Motion tomorrow afternoon.

“And sadly, driving without insurance is only part of the problem, as very significant numbers of motorists are also taking to the roads of the district without either licences or road tax.

“One of the obvious consequences of this is an alarmingly high rate of casualties on our roads including 2,097 people last year.

“Of these, 274 were killed or seriously injured – 51 of them children.

“When you discover that uninsured drivers are 12 times more likely to be involved in road crashes when compared to drivers who are fully insured, then you know that strong action must be taken.

“It is for this reason that, working with West Yorkshire Police, Conservative-led Bradford Council allocated more than £300,000 over the last 12 months to extend Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems across the district as a means of dealing with a number of serious criminal offences including driving without vehicle insurance, road tax or a valid licence.

“But much more needs to be done.

“The Conservative Motion, if passed by the Council, requests the Chief Executive to meet as soon as possible with West Yorkshire Police to discuss what additional measures can be introduced to increase the pressure on motorists driving illegally on the streets of Bradford district.

“And, following this meeting, he will be asked to bring an urgent action plan to the Council’s Executive setting out how the local authority, the Police and our other key partners will deal with the problem over the next 12 months.

“This may include, for example, a series of high profile enforcement days to catch offenders and reassure local residents that we are taking the issue of illegal drivers on our roads extremely seriously.

“I hope the other political parties on Council will give the Conservative Motion their unanimous support so we can get on with tackling this scourge which puts the lives of countless numbers of local residents at risk.”

Mohammed Riaz was selected for Bradford East and Matt Palmer selected for Bradford South.

Barry Whitaker, Chairman of Bradford Conservative Association, said:

“I would like to congratulate Matt Palmer and Mohammed Riaz on their selections in Bradford South and Bradford East.

“They now complete our team for the three new Bradford Parliamentary Constituencies and I look working with them and Zahid Iqbal, our Parliamentary Candidate for Bradford West, in the months to come.”

39-year-old Mr Herd has been the proprietor of C & L Herd Family Butchers on Queen’s Road since 1998 and employs seven members of staff.

He also runs Great Stones Farm in Oxenhope where, with his wife Linda, he rears cattle and lambs.

He and Linda have been married for 16 years and have three children.

Outside of work, Chris is involved in a wide-ranging of outdoor pursuits and is a keen carriage driver.  His other main interest is politics.

“I am very pleased to have been selected as the Conservative candidate in Keighley West,” Mr Herd commented.

“I am a life-long Conservative and believe the party has the right ideas to improve life for local residents in the town.

“From a personal point of view, it would also be a tremendous honour to use my experience and knowledge of the area to serve the people of Keighley West on Bradford Council.

“There is a lot of hard work ahead between now and the local elections next May but I can’t wait to get on with it.”

Bradford Council Conservative Group Leader Cllr Kris Hopkins, who is also the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Keighley and Ilkley, said he was delighted to have Mr Herd on board.

“Chris is a highly respected and very popular local businessman who would be an outstanding representative for Keighley West in Bradford City Hall,” he commented.

“His job allows him to hear at first hand each day what problems residents are facing and how they want them to be addressed.

“He also has a very strong work ethic and commitment to doing a good job on behalf of others.

“I very much hope Chris is successful in May 2010 and urge the people of Keighley West to get behind him to ensure this happens.”

The joint commitment was made in advance of tomorrow’s (Tuesday) Annual General Meeting when, with the support of both Groups, Cllr Kris Hopkins (Conservative, Worth Valley) is expected to be re-elected as Council Leader for the new municipal year.

Cllr Hopkins said he was pleased that agreement on a shared Conservative – Liberal Democrat agenda had again been reached.

“Clearly, the budget which our two Groups agreed in February, along with the Greens, will be the bedrock for much of what we hope to achieve in the year ahead,” he commented.

“The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have a collective determination to continue delivering better services and improving the quality of life for everyone living in the district.

“Children and young people will once again be our shared priority, followed closely by social care for adults, regeneration and the environment.

“Given the very difficult economic circumstances we currently face, it is vital that we take the right decisions in the most cost effective manner possible for local residents.  That is exactly what we intend to do.”

Cllr Jeanette Sunderland (Liberal Democrat, Idle and Thackley) said she believed it was right that Liberal Democrats again stepped forward to take responsibility for the interests of residents.

“Rather than stand on the fringes of the debate and talk Bradford district down, we want to continue making a positive contribution to the lives of local people.

“Ensuring the continuum of care for young people is one area of particular concern for us and I hope progress can be made on this very soon.

“Like the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats also wish to see responsibility for education returned to the Council when the current contract with Education Bradford comes to an end.

“And we need to agree a practical, affordable and sustainable waste management process for the district which can deal with all forms of waste into the longer term.

“I welcome the agreement to continue working with the Conservatives and now look forward to getting on with the many tasks in hand.”

Cllr Hopkins revealed that Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) has advised the Council that it intends to shut the Steeton site which undertakes approximately 5,000 tests each year.

The loss of the Steeton site would mean the Council and private sector vehicle operators having to use the facility at Rothwell in Leeds – a potential return journey of 65 miles.

“The closure of the Steeton testing station will result in Bradford Council having to take vehicles to the Leeds test centre, resulting in increased journey times of 400 hours per year, an additional 5000 miles of travel annually and seven extra tonnes of CO2 emissions from Council vehicles per year,” commented Cllr Hopkins.

“The direct cost to the local Council Tax payer is likely to be around £25,000.

“Private sector vehicle operators will be similarly inconvenienced and out-of-pocket.

“There will also be increased traffic flows along the already very busy A650, city centre and A647 routes, together with an estimated 300 extra tonnes of CO2 emissions from heavy good vehicles.

“And, as we face up to the most difficult economic circumstances for generations, the closure of the site will inevitably mean everyone currently employed there would lose their jobs and many private sector operator jobs would also be put at great risk.

“I will certainly be doing everything I can to attempt to convince the Government and VOSA to reverse their ill-advised decision to shut the Steeton facility and hope others with any influence on these matters will join me in my opposition to the plans.”

The national Dignity in Care Campaign, launched by the Department of Health, aims to create a care system where there is zero tolerance towards the abuse of and disrepect towards older people and vulnerable adults. Greater emphasis is placed on the quality of care in hospitals, care homes and home care services.

To become a Dignity Champion means pledging to do something, however small, towards creating a care system that has compassion and respect for those it supports.

Coun Dale Smith, Executive Member for Adult Services, said: “My responsibility is to ensure that Dignity is embedded in all our actions and I wholeheartedly welcome this initiative.”

The Dignity Campaign and Dignity Champions highlights  the need to deliver high standards in the work done  and to not forget that we are caring for people, many of whom have led full and active lives. Many of us will need some form of care or support in the future and would want to be treated with dignity and respect and this is how we should ensure others are treated too.

In the run-up to the take-over, a new team of civil enforcement officers will be practising their skills on illegally parked vehicles, issuing dummy tickets.

This will give motorists an opportunity to change their behaviour and find other places to park before the transfer comes into force. It will also give the Council chance to iron out any problems that may arise.

Coun Anne Hawkesworth, the Executive Member for Environment and Culture, said: “Illegal parking is both selfish and dangerous - blocking visibility, preventing emergency access and clogging up town and city centres.

“The dummy-run gives us a chance to remind people of their responsibilities when parking and to think about the impact.

“Improving enforcement is crucial to reducing congestion and allowing traffic to flow more freely around the district.”

Bradford Council has spent the last year preparing for the take-over by ensuring all the traffic regulations in the district are properly marked to avoid confusion and training up staff in parking laws and dealing with motorists.

The officers will be able to impose fines of £70 or £50 depending on the seriousness of the offence. The fine is reduced by half if paid within 14 days and there is an appeal procedure.

Eventually there will be 46 officers, 12 working in the city centre, eight each in Keighley and Shipley and six each in Bradford North, South and West.

The Government’s Improvement and Development Agency (I&DeA) has awarded the Council ‘beacon’ status.

Beacon councils are regarded as centres of excellence for certain services, and help other local authorities to achieve results. They also help the Government to frame national policy and promote good practice.

Bradford Council was recognised for its work in involving older people in key decisions, and supporting and promoting greater independence and well being in later life.

The status was announced  Tuesday, March 3, by Communities Minister Sadiq Khan MP.

Coun Dale Smith, Executive Member for Social Care, said: “Being awarded beacon status is recognition of the excellent work that the Council and its partners have put in to help older people live independent lives.

“Innovations in technology mean that older people can now have greater involvement in their own assessment and care and can make informed decisions about the services they need.

“The Older People’s Partnership has been a powerful advocate for giving older people a say in what happens in their district and telling us what they think needs to be done!”

Sadiq Khan MP said: “The Beacons are about showcasing the very best in service delivery. Bradford Council is among the top performers in its field, setting the standard for innovation, service excellence and improvement.”

The three Group Leaders Cllr Kris Hopkins (Con), Cllr Jeanette Sunderland (Lib Dem) and Cllr Martin Love (Green) presented a joint budget document to a meeting of the Council’s Executive in City Hall earlier today.

The proposals will now go forward for the approval of full Council on Thursday afternoon.

Speaking after the Executive meeting, Cllr Hopkins said he was glad that agreement had been found after a week of intensive negotiations.

“I would like to thank Jeanette, Martin and their colleagues for the responsible approach they adopted as we worked to reach an agreement in the best interests of Bradford district,” he commented.  “Bradford is a balanced council and appropriate compromises must be reached.”

“Despite being invited to play a full part in our discussions, it is regrettable that the Labour Group once again took the decision to absent themselves from the budget process, thereby depriving its own supporters of a direct say in where their Council Tax money will be spent.

“On behalf of the Conservative Group, I am delighted that we have secured significant new funding for schools, Odsal Sporting Village, the City Park, a new health centre in Keighley and community hubs. As well as the large scale improvements to the district’s infrastructure, it is hoped that these projects will lead to the creation of significant numbers of new jobs for local residents.

“Many other schemes and community groups will also benefit including through the provision of improved facilities for older people, new play and parenting schemes, bursaries for sporting and academic excellence, better access to professional financial and legal advice, and high quality health and wellbeing cafes.

“At a time of great economic difficulty for many people living in our district, I believe we have found an affordable, responsible but also imaginative way forward. Crucially, it is a vision that we have a collective determination to deliver.”

Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr Jeanette Sunderland said:

“Securing more resources to raise educational achievement, to provide additional apprenticeships for young people, to protect adults in need of social care and to mitigate against some of the worst effects of the recession across the district were the Liberal Democrat Group’s principal goals in these negotiations and I am satisfied that all of these objectives have been achieved.

“On the capital side, securing the money necessary to keep the Building Schools for the Future programme moving forward was our top priority alongside funding for a new school for children with special educational needs or behavioural difficulties.  Again, we have managed to do this as well as offer support to some of the district’s other major capital schemes such as the Odsal Sporting Village and the City Park.

“Alongside my Liberal Democrat colleagues, I now look forward to playing my full part in ensuring that these budget proposals are implemented.”

Green Party Group Leader Cllr Martin Love said:

“As last year, I am pleased to have had the opportunity on behalf of my Group to inject a definite green tinge into this year’s Council budget.

“Reducing our carbon emissions and having the environment at the core of our thinking when deciding how Bradford Council should best provide its services is not a luxury but a necessity in today’s world.

“The Greens will continue to play our lead role in reminding councillors of all parties and officers of this reality over the next twelve months and, hopefully, far beyond.”