Bradford Council today pledged a "robust" challenge to the Government's bid to force it to hold a referendum on an elected mayor.

Deputy Council leader Councillor Richard Wightman said the authority has taken legal advice and is ready to put up a defence.

The Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government, and the Regions, Stephen Byers, warned Bradford Council that he was 'minded' to intervene and make the authority hold a referendum unless it could come up with a good reason why not to within two weeks.

Mr Byers told the Council he disagreed with its interpretation of a public consultation exercise held in the district.

The Council argued that the exercise showed the majority of people wanted to stick with the current system of a leader for the authority operating with a cabinet.

But the minister said the majority of people showed a clear interest in opting for some kind of directly-elected mayor.

The Council staged the consultation earlier this year when 18,000 people said they wanted to continue with the existing system of an executive committee chaired by the Council leader taking the main decisions.

But 19,000 people said they wanted some form of system involving a directly-elected mayor.

The Council expects to make its reply to Mr Byers by the end of this week after being told it did not appear to have taken account of the consultation exercise.

Today Jim O'Neill, co-ordinator of The Peoples' Choice campaign, which is fighting for a referendum, said he was deeply disappointed by the Council's stand.

He said the campaign is pressing people to write to the Council saying they wanted a vote.

The Council estimates that it would cost about £250,000 and says it could be better spent on services.