Bradford Council leader David Green has branded new legislation designed to allow communities to take over local services a “Trojan horse” for privatisation.

The Community Right to Challenge has been introduced as part of the Government’s Localism Act 2011. It enables communities to bid to take over local services.

But at a meeting of the Council’s executive, Coun Green labelled it a “Trojan horse”, disguising the privatisation of services.

He said Bradford Council had always been willing to involve communities in the running of services, but that he believed the legislation was an attempt to open the doors to companies who would bid to run services for profit.

He said: “We as a Council have always been willing to talk to communities, and the private sector on occasion, to discuss how services are delivered.”