How many visits does it take to fix a street light? In the case of a lamp in Highfield Avenue and the answer seems to be 11 according to Cllr David Ward who has been tracking its progress

The lamp in question was knocked down by a car on Sunday 16th November.

1. The first visit was by the council who removed light quickly

Councillor David Ward, chair of the Bradford North Area Committee has condemned the Government for introducing legislation making it harder for people to petition their local council.

He said,

" Over eight pages of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill are dedicated to setting conditions on the form petitions to local councils can take. The section runs to 3,221 words of primary legislation, with further statutory guidance expected to follow.

Bradford North Area Committee has allocated £36,000 to twelve primary schools to help them take part an environmental project with Be Involved. The projects would create outdoor learning areas that contribute to curriculum development and provide opportunities for young people to learn about a range of issues from healthy eating to science.

Councillor David Ward has welcomed the decision to allow the schools threatened with a claw back of unspent cash, to keep it. Eighteen schools had been told to hand back a total of almost £500,000 of unspent funds but an amnesty has been declared for this. The rules will be made clearer for schools in future.

Councillor David Ward has welcomed the decision to allow the schools threatened with a claw back of unspent cash, to keep it. Eighteen schools had been told to hand back a total of almost £500,000 of unspent funds but an amnesty has been declared for this. The rules will be made clearer for schools in future.

Cllr David Ward, chair of the Bradford East Local Sports Alliance ( LSA ) has announced that a major focus of the LSA will be increasing sports participation for women and for those residents from low socio-economic groups in Bradford East.

He said,

" Figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats through a Parliamentary Question show that nationally 12 million adults, or 30% of the population did not take part in any sport or recreational physical activity last year.

Too many families in Bradford are losing their homes because of difficulties over mortgage payments, claims Cllr David Ward, chair of the Bradford North Area Committee

New figures show that 1,463 orders for home repossession were issued by Bradford county court in 2007. This is a rise of 16% since 2006. And the rate of repossessions is accelerating as well with 28% more families losing their homes in the last three months of 2007 compared to the same period in 2006.

A two year campaign started by Cllr David Ward against the display and sale swords and knives finally paid off yesterday when the Government announced that the import, sale and hire of samurai swords would be banned from April 2008.

Cllr Ward said,

" In December 2005 I contacted Trading Standards about an open display of knives, swords and replica firearms at a shop in the centre of Bradford. At the time I was told that it was legal and there was nothing the police or Trading Standards could do.

Cllr David Ward ( Lib Dem,, Idle & Thackley ), has warned that a proposal by the government to take away cash reserves that local schools have built up will damage children's education by taking almost £1 million away from schools.

The government have put out for consultation a proposal to siphon off 5% of the cash held in reserve in school budgets. Cllr Ward, who is the Lib Dem spokesperson on education said,

Leading Councillor David Ward (Lib Dem) is angry that it is looking increasing unlikely that local residents and businesses will benefit from the predicted jobs boom that the rebuilding of the city centre should bring.

"It seems to me that the chances of opportunities permeating down to local businesses are limited and should any local people benefit from jobs or training it will be nothing more than a chance occurrence" said David Ward.