BRADFORD Council’s Executive are to consider £4 million worth of new investments to support the district’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The proposed investments will be presented as part of a report giving an update on the forecast year-end financial position of the Council for 2021-22 at the meeting on Tuesday, July 6.

The report will recommend the priority investments to help support children and young people, build an inclusive economic recovery and sustain the resilience, well-being and civic pride of our communities.

Some key investments include: 16 – 24 year old Youth Offer - £1m

The coucil want to offer more support to young people, especially those looking for employment after the disruption they have faced in transition to work and adulthood. Using an additional investment of £1m the fund can offer additional work experience placements for young people not in education, employment or training, create additional apprenticeship places, local additional kick-start places for young entrepreneurs, free access to local leisure facilities for the six weeks of summer for young people and additional youth service support.

Regeneration - £2m, this includes: 

Masterplanning and development frameworks for the district (£500,000)

The district's city and town centres have been hugely impacted by the economic restrictions of the last year and this funding is a start to turn them around so that they can survive then thrive. The district need the frameworks in place to attract the right investment and partners to the district.

Supporting Enterprise (£1.5m)

A package of support will be established from Economic Development via a Workshop programme to encourage people to set up new businesses and grow them. Working with local partners to create a Bradford District specific enterprise support programme, encouraging people from all different backgrounds to set up and sustain businesses.

Visible Services - £1m

Investment to support enhanced visible services to respond to issues of litter, fly tipping and environmental blight. It is important to clear sites but also to protect, educate and enforce irrespective of land ownership, responding to increased levels of litter and fly tipping that occurred through the pandemic. This additional £1m investment will be used to strengthen locally based activities that meet the specific needs of individual wards while also enhancing the district-wide awareness raising and enforcement measures.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Bradford Council leader (pictured), said: "The Council and our partners have continued to work together to tackle the impact of the Covid pandemic on our communities.

“As we now look to the future and further relaxation of restrictions we want to do all we can to kickstart and support the social and economic recovery for our residents and businesses.

“This package of measures focuses on key areas of cleaner and tidier streets, opportunities for young people and laying the right foundations for businesses to recover, grow and thrive in the post-pandemic world.

“It’s not simply a case of going back to the old normal, this is about supporting our residents and businesses through challenging times and into the strongest possible recovery for the district."