A crucial vote takes place in Bradford this week as to who will lead the Bradford & Bingley Building Society into the future if it becomes a bank.

Key directors of the B&B are up for re-election at the firm's annual meeting in the city's Hilton Hotel tomorrow along with independent contender Philip Crozier from Wales.

Mr Crozier, 45, a senior investigating accountant for the National Assembly in Wales, will be standing against the B&B's chief executive Christopher Rodrigues, group finance and IT director Rosemary Thorne, 48, group secretary Kevin McGuinness, 51, and non-executive directors Nicholas Cosh, 53, and Diana Courteney, 60.

The six are contending for five place on the board and the B&B's chairman Lindsay Mackinlay is urging members to re-elect the five existing directors.

He said: "We strongly believe that the five existing directors have the appropriate blend of skills and experience to take the Bradford & Bingley through the complex process of conversion and onward as a public limited company."

The next crucial vote - seen as even more important - is the decision over whether the B&B should convert to a bank.

The Special General Meeting, to be called in July, follows a massive vote in favour of conversion at last year's annual meeting.

The pro-conversion vote was pushed through by Northern Ireland plumber Stephen Major last April.

The special meeting will vote on a recommendation for conversion being put forward by the B&B's board and the process is expected to be completed by this December.

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