Some of Bradford's most deprived areas could lose out on a multi-million pound cash boost after being axed from a European funding list.

The potential £41 million windfall would have created and protected jobs in six local authority areas.

Now the promise of funding hangs in the balance after European Commissioners announced their intention to withdraw Bradford from the scheme.

Bradford Council leader Ian Greenwood said today the district's hopes of Assisted Area Status funding had been dashed because Europe had changed the goal posts.

And Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe reassured residents he would be lobbying the Government to ensure the district did not lose out on vital grants.

The money - spread over seven years - would have been made available for Bowling, Bradford Moor, Little Horton, Tong, Undercliffe and University areas.

The local authority wards were included on the initial assisted area funding map drawn up by the Government.

But all six were removed by European Commissioners yesterday to make way for similarly needy areas in Northern Ireland.

Bradford Council today confirmed it would appeal against the Commission's decision.

Council leader Ian Greenwood said: "We fought long and hard to recover Assisted Area Status, which we lost in 1993, so it is particularly disappointing that our hopes have been dashed again because Europe has changed the goal posts.

"The net effect of the loss of this money is that it will slow down the regeneration of Bradford.

"We intend to respond robustly - we have three weeks in which to lobby for the wards to be reinstated."

The money would have provided 50 per cent matched funding at a rate of £5.9 million a year into community projects in local authority wards with high unemployment.

Councillor Greenwood said although he was extremely unhappy at the decision all was not lost.

"We were put on the Objective 2 European Funding map which brings in hundreds of millions of pounds to the district."

Minister for Trade Richard Caborn said the city also had access to other sources of grant aid - such as the Single Regeneration Challenge Fund, New Deal for Communities, Education Action Zones and Excellence in Cities.

Councillor David Green, executive member for regeneration, said the decision to withdraw Bradford from the assisted area map marked a change of heart about the way European funding is granted for needy communities.

Gerry Sutcliffe, Labour MP for Bradford South, said: "I will be lobbying Ministers to make sure the six Bradford wards are reinstated. If that is not possible I will be looking for compensation from the Government.

"These wards should now be prioritised when it comes to other grants schemes such as the Enterprise and Single Regeneration budgets."

He said the loss of local wards from the assisted area map may also prove an effective bargaining tool as Bradford tries to win City of Culture status.

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