The last Mayor of Keighley has challenged Bradford Council over the ownership of the mayoral regalia, accusing them of "riding roughshod" over the people of Keighley.

Brian Welham, who was the last councillor to hold the office before the demise of old Keighley Borough Council in 1974, attended a meeting of the new town council.

At the meeting he called on Bradford Council to hold a referendum to resolve the dispute over the civic gongs.

Speaking publicly for the first time on the issue, the former mayor told councillors that City Hall had "no right to dictate" to Keighley over the use of the regalia.

He said: "It's about time that people knew that Bradford rides roughshod over everybody. You should have absolute right over the use of the chains.

"They have no permission and no right to dictate. If Bradford wants to change it, then by all means. But first let's have a referendum of the people of Keighley."

Referring to the minutes of one of the final meetings of the former borough council, Mr Welham told the new body that the borough council, as one of its final acts, made a commitment to protect the regalia and prevent it from falling into Bradford's hands.

During a meeting of the management and finance committee, on March 18, 1974, councillors passed a resolution stating: "That for so long as the metropolitan district council do not have their own mace, permission be granted for the civic mace to be used by the district council provided that it is used in tandem with the Bradford City Council mace and that it is not defaced"'

The resolution also states: "That the mayor's and mayoress's chains remain in Keighley for display in the Cliffe Castle Museum" and "That the remainder of the civic insignia and plate remain in Keighley on display at Cliffe Castle or ... at the parish church".

The resolution, however, does allow for the items of insignia and plate to be made available for loan to Bradford to use as decorations at banquets or similar events.

During his first visit to the council chamber for almost three decades, Mr Welham said: "It's time that I put this record straight. Let me make it clear; one of the last acts of the borough council was when Bradford requested the use of the mace.

"The council said that Bradford could borrow the mace as long as the two were used together and only until they got their own. No permission was ever given to use the chains.

Bradford Council said: "We already have an agreement in place with Keighley Town Council on the use of the civic regalia. The town council has asked us to review this and we will be in a position to respond to the town council very soon."