A controversial decision by Bradford's new "super councillors" to give thousands of pounds extra to Bradford Festival is being challenged.

Council history was made today as the Labour chairman of a new scrutiny committee decided to call in the decision.

The new set-up of the Council gives the Executive Committee the power to make key decisions. But scrutiny committee chairmen have the right to examine decisions if two other members decide they want the decision to be examined.

In this case the environment scrutiny committee chairman Councillor Ghazanfer Khaliq (Lab, Thornton) has called in the decision. He received an official request to step in from Councillor Howard Middleton (Lib Dem, Bolton) supported by Councillor John Carroll (Con, Shipley West).

Coun Khaliq said he had agreed the committee should scrutinise the decision because of concern at the executive committee.

Labour, Tory and Liberal Democrat councillors were at loggerheads at last week's meeting over a recommendation by officers that the festival should get a huge increase in its Council funding.

The scrutiny committee can demand more information about the decision and call executive members to its meeting. It can also press the executive committee to reverse it.

Coun Khaliq said today: "Concern was expressed both at the executive committee and outside about it.

"There is the claim that too little information was given to executive members to enable them to reach a proper decision.

"We are the first scrutiny committee to call in a decision. It is a very important step and it shows there is some form of co-operation between members."

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