MPs and unions representing thousands of Bradford Council workers today described its failure to appoint a new chief executive as a shambles.

The high-powered job had been advertised at a salary of £171,000 in May but the Council had said it was prepared to go as high as £200,000 which is more than Tony Blair receives as Prime Minister.

Speculation was rife among City Hall staff today that the Council had already spent £95,000 on the failed appointment process. Council leaders were meeting today to consider the way ahead after interviews were cancelled when three of the six short-listed applicants pulled out.

Unison branch secretary Liz Devlin asked: "How could they have got it so wrong?"

And Terry Patten, Bradford branch chairman of the GMB, said: "There is obviously something drastically wrong when they can't get anyone for this salary."

Bradford North Labour MP Terry Rooney described it "an absolute mess" and Bradford South Labour MP Gerry Sutcliffe said the Council was in danger of becoming a laughing stock.

Council director of human resources Vanda Rodgers disputed the rumoured £95,000 bill. "Even we don't know what has been spent."