a coalition has been organised by Keighley Town Council to oppose plans for private companies to run crumbling council facilities.

Town councillors are angered by proposals by Bradford Council to invite private companies to invest in council assests and run properties such as swimming pools and leisure centres in need of refurbishment.

Last night the councillors organised a meeting in Keighley Town Hall of every town and parish council outside Bradford, to mobilise opposition to the plans.

The alarm was raised when town councillors were sent copies of the AMP (asset management project) Briefing Document drawn up by Bradford Council officials.

The document says the Bradford AMP is "one of the most fundamental options reviews of the need for direct property ownership and management ever to be considered in local government".

It reveals that the council has 3,700 land and building interests with a total book value of £615 million.

There is no specific plan mentioned, but the briefing has photographs of council properties involved, including the Cliffe Castle Museum in Keighley.

Earlier this week it was revealed that members of Bradford Council's regeneration and culture scrutiny committee had agreed to officers looking at the option of raising the £6.2 million the council says is needed over the next five years to modernise leisure facilities in the district. The cost cannot be met from the public purse.

Council chiefs state that the only way a bright future can be assured is through either private investment or the formation of not-for-profit leisure trusts. The first option would involve private companies improving and running the services, which Bradford Council would then pay for.

A list of interested parties will be announced by Bradford Council in October and all bids will be submitted by December. The aim is to award a contract to the preferred bidder in April 2004.

No buildings have yet been formally discussed, but both Keighley Leisure Centre and Keighley Town Hall could be involved in the shake-up.

Councillor Simon Cooke, economy, said: "This is not an exercise in selling off lots and lots of properties, particularly ones that provide services, it is simply an exercise in trying to generate money to get the buildings back up to the best possible standard.

"We do want to reassure people that no final decision has been made, and whatever decision is made, the council is not going to lose control of its assets. If we are successful in getting a deal for leisure facilities with easy management, we will be able to deliver that successfully without losing control of the buildings.

"If, however, the private sector says it doesn't want them, which is a possibility, the council would look to either borrow to improve those buildings or set up a trust."

However, members of Keighley Town Council fear that entering into such a partnership effectively amounts to "selling off" the town's prize assets.

Keighley town councillor Brian Hudson, one of the project's fiercest critics, said: "What we are saying to Bradford Council is that they can't sell any more of our assets off.

"What they are proposing is like selling your house to someone and renting it back. What happens when you can't pay the rent?

"We hope as a progressive town council we will get quality status that will allow us to take on these kind of services, but if Bradford Council aren't careful we'll have nothing left."

Keighley West Labour councillor Barry Thorne has expressed concern about the plans, making the tongue-in-cheek comment that they could lead to a "Keighley Town Hall run by McDonald's."

"Private initiatives usually involve someone building something for you and you lease it off them, whereas we already have the buildings," said Cllr Thorne.

The Asset Management Project is a major review of Bradford Council's 600 operational buildings, which need a projected investment of £250 million over the next seven years.

Bradford Council will be able to fund around £150 million but says it needs to look elsewhere for the rest of the cash.