Many of the new measures involved in the beefing-up of the Bradford Congress are to be welcomed, but none more so than the decision to allow the public greater access to its deliberations.

This is a step we have been urging for some time. It is now even more appropriate in view of the decision to appoint a chief executive at a salary of £60,000.

The bulk of this money will come in one way or another from the public. Although businesses are involved in the Congress, the partnership also includes the Council, police, health authority, colleges and universities - all of which largely rely on the public for their funding. So it is only right that the public, in future, will be able to see what their money is buying.

Once it rids itself of any perception that it is a "secret society", the partnership will stand a much better chance of swinging the community behind its efforts.

It seems sensible, too, to change the name to Bradford Vision, to bring the partnership in line with the district's 2020 Vision, in which it is playing a key role. The less confusion of names and titles there is, the better the chances of winning broad public support for the drive to turn that vision into reality.

It is a shame that the move to appoint a chairman from outside the local authority failed to win approval. It would have strengthened the confidence of other players in Bradford Vision's determination to be a true partnership rather than a group under the domination of the Council.