Voters urged to check they’re election ready before it’s too late
 With only 19 days to go until the voter registration deadline for local elections on 2 May, anyone wanting to vote must make sure they are election ready.
The deadline to register to vote is midnight on 16 April. Voters can apply online at gov.uk/register-to-vote. It takes just five minutes.
Voters have a range of options – they can vote in person, by post or by appointing someone they trust to vote in their place, known as a proxy vote. The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on 17 April. The deadline to apply for a proxy vote is a week later, 5pm on 24 April.
This May, voters will need to show photo ID to vote at a polling station. This is a new requirement, introduced by the UK Government’s Elections Act. To find out which ID you can use in the polling station, visit the Electoral Commission website. If anyone has questions about how to apply for a postal or proxy vote, or free ID, you can contact us on 01274 431360 or by email on electoralservices@bradford.gov.uk
Changes to services over Easter
 There will be changes to the opening hours of some of our services over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.
There will be no changes to bin collection schedules.
Easter recycling
 Did you know that 80 million Easter eggs are sold in the UK every year?
Most of these eggs are wrapped in aluminium foil which is recyclable!
Remember to munch, scrunch and recycle this Easter.
Untaxed vehicles
We've taken a further 26 untaxed, nuisance vehicles off roads in the district in an operation with West Yorkshire Police.
The operation used powers, which were granted in December 2023, that allow us to remove vehicles without valid tax and also vehicles with a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) from adopted and unadopted highways or open-air land such as supermarket car parks.
So far since December 2023 we've taken 98 of these vehicles off the road - 26 have been collected by their registered keeper, 46 still remain in the pound and 26 have been crushed.
This latest operation focussed on areas in the Manningham, City and Great Horton wards and we’ve got other operations planned in the coming weeks in other areas across the district.
People can report untaxed and abandoned vehicles in the Bradford district by calling 01274 431000.
Support for separating parents
Separating parents can now download a free app to help them self-manage their separation.
Separating better has been created by OnePlusOne, the UK’s leading relationship and innovation charity. The app, funded by the Department for Works and Pensions, features practical tools to help with budgeting and legal arrangements. Parents can also use it to create a personalised parenting plan and make co-parenting arrangements that work in the best interests of their children.
A series of specially created videos showing typical co-parenting scenarios helps parents to improve their conflict resolution and communication skills. There are also evidence-based articles offering expert advice on separation and co-parenting.
Separating better is FREE and can be downloaded from app stores.
Don’t miss out on early education childcare support for working families of two-year-olds
 Families in Bradford district are urged to ensure they don’t miss out on 15 hours of government funded childcare support.
From April 2024, working parents can get help with their childcare costs, starting with 15 hours of childcare support for 2-year-olds.
The new offer is an extension of the existing working families entitlement, which already sees families of three and four-year-olds receive 30 hours of childcare support.
Parents and carers with a child aged two can apply for the new working families entitlement, to begin the term after their child turns two.
Families have until 31 March to apply for their code, to begin from the 1 April 2024.
To sign up to the new 15 hours of childcare for working families, and to find out about other childcare support, visit www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
To find out more visit Bradford Families and Young Persons Information website (FYI), www.bradford.gov.uk/ChildcareSupport
Contact our Early Education and Childcare team using the online form or call the Bradford Council switchboard on 01274 437503 to be referred to the team.
Valley Parade Memorial tournament
 The annual Valley Parade Memorial Football Tournament takes place at Marley Activities & Coaching Centre in Keighley on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 March.
Under 12 and Under 14 teams from Bradford City AFC , Lincoln City Football Club and a host of local clubs will play along with a team from Hamm who are travelling across from Germany to participate once again.
The tournament has been held every year over the Easter Bank Holiday since the first one in 1986 to commemorate the 56 people (including 11 children) who lost their lives in the fire disaster at Bradford City AFC’s Valley Parade ground during a match with Lincoln City FC on 11 May 1985.
The tournament is organised by our Bradford Community Sports and Activities Development Unit and supported as always by the Prison Officers Association.
Games start at 9am on Saturday and 8.45am on Sunday at Marley Activities & Coaching Centre in Keighley, following a minute’s silence in memory of the victims of the fire disaster at Valley Parade on 11th May 1985.
The spirit of the event is to promote friendship through football and a team fair play trophy is awarded on both days, based on the feedback given from the match officials.
Members of the public are invited to come along and cheer on the teams.
Next phase of Bradford city centre transformation work set to begin
 The next phase of the major transformational work taking place to improve the core of Bradford city centre for pedestrians and cyclists, is set to being in April.
Bradford city centre is being reshaped by the scheme, creating more green and public spaces to make it much easier, safer and more pleasant for people to spend time and get around the city centre on foot or by bike.
Phase 1 of construction work is now nearly complete. Phase 1 focused on works around the edge of the city centre including on Croft Street, Jacobs Well, Prince’s Way, Godwin Street, Lower Kirkgate, Church Bank, Well Street and Vicar Lane. These works were to enable bus services to move onto new public transport routes which go around the core of the city centre rather than through it.
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