Bradford Council should be growing concerned over moves urging voters to back the setting-up of separate agencies to run some of the local affairs which currently come under the authority's umbrella. Clearly there is a lack of confidence in the current structure and the way the Council relates to people in the Bradford Metropolitan District outside the old city-council boundary.

Discontent in Keighley, where there has long been disregard verging on contempt for Bradford Council, led to a referendum and the formation of a town council. People made it clear that they were prepared to pay an extra precept for the right to have a greater say in the way their town was run.

Now it seems that the people of Bingley want to pursue the same route, with councillors in the town promoting a petition calling for the creation of a parish council - a move which could then lead on to a town council being established. If they are successful, how long will it be before places like Shipley, Baildon and Queensbury follow their lead?

It seems clear that the Council is failing to get the message across to local communities beyond the city and suburbs that it works in their interests. It faces a big battle to win back the hearts and minds of these disenchanted people.

It needs to rethink its whole approach if it is to avoid the costly fragmentation of the way the district's affairs are run - a splitting-up of responsibilities which could lead in effect to the 1974 reorganisation of local government being reversed by default.