Public services across the district could be thrown into chaos after Council workers took a step closer to strike action.

Unions representing Bradford Council's non-teaching staff have turned down a management offer after hours of talks - and it means scores of Council services could be hit by one-day strikes.

But letters were today going out to thousands of the workforce in a bid to settle the disagreement.

Leaders of the Council's three political groups - Tory Council leader Margaret Eaton, Ian Greenwood, leader of the Labour Group, and Jeanette Sunderland, Liberal Democrat Group leader - signed e-mails to 23,000 workers appealing to them to help find a way forward.

The main sticking point in the negotiations is about redeployment of staff amid a shake-up of Council services.

The letter to workers says: "We want good industrial relations with our staff. We are very disappointed that no agreement was found and we ask all employees to seek details of the Council offer and make a judgement themselves."

It points out to staff that many hours of talks over the terms and conditions have been held over the last three months.

Workers are being told the final offer concedes to many of the union's needs.

Liz Devlin, UNISON's Bradford branch secretary, said: "The letter has come as a surprise because as far as we were concerned we were still in negotiations until July 23. That date was for us to respond to what I believe is their final offer.

"The letter says that the unions demanded unacceptable terms and conditions but I want to stress that is not so.

"We said that we were sticking with our original position and we are.

"I want to be quite clear that if they impose the new redundancy agreements we would move to ballot for strike action.

"I think we have been undermined and the management is not negotiating in good faith."