TORY group leader Councillor Glen Miller is to step down from the role, he has announced.

The group, which forms the opposition on Bradford Council, will elect a new leader on Monday.

Cllr Miller's wife Vivienne died last October, and later that year he also had to apologise to all councillors after it emerged council materials were used in his election campaign, contrary to election rules.

He said: "It has been a difficult year - personally and politically - and I need a break from front line politics.

"I'll still be actively involved in the Worth Valley but I'd like to take the time to do some things outside politics."

Cllr Miller praised the support he had received from his Conservative group and especially Cllr Simon Cooke, the Group deputy leader.

He said: "The group has been fantastic both in supporting me personally during a hard time and in making the case for Conservative policies for Bradford Council.

"I'm especially grateful to Simon Cooke who did a fantastic job as acting leader during my absence last year."

The Conservative group's annual general meeting will be held on Monday, when elections for leader and deputy leader of the group will take place.

Councillor David Green, leader of the ruling Labour group on Bradford Council, said he understood Cllr Miller's reasons for stepping down.

He said: "I think everybody in the council recognises the extremely difficult year - or longer than a year - that he has had with the long illness and tragic death of his wife and our hearts all went out to him.

"In terms of what it means for the politics of Bradford, it's up to the Conservative group to elect a new leader.

"And I hope that whoever does lead them, whilst we will have political differences, will have the interests of the district at heart."

Cllr Miller's wife of 33 years, Vivienne, died at Manorlands hospice in October aged 54. Since then Cllr Miller has been raising funds to build a summerhouse there in her memory.

In November, the Council's standards committee asked Cllr Miller to apologise to all councillors after council stationery was used for his election campaign.

Cllr Miller had also reimbursed the council for the cost of these materials and made a donation to the Lord Mayor's charity, saying at the time that he "conceded from day one that an error of judgement was made".