A high-powered management company is being lined up to tackle cleanliness, maintenance and crime in Bradford city centre - and sell it to investors and visitors as the place to be.

Headed by a powerful chief executive, the public-private sector partnership company would try to bring in millions of pounds in European and Government funding.

It would also deal with services and could bring in private contractors to clean the city streets.

Today it was described as a "bold step" by the chairman of Bradford Retail Action Group, Jeff Frankel.

But Mary Frame, a past president of Bradford Chamber of Trade, was more sceptical about the scheme. She said: "Anything which is going to improve the city is fine. But it sounds mega and I have my doubts about whether it will be delivered. Talk is cheap."

But a union appealed for a fair deal for council cleansing workers if they lost the contract.

GMB regional officer Steve Morris said: "They are doing a good job and I think an outside consultancy should look at it before there are any major changes."

But Councillor Dave Green, Regeneration member of the council's new Executive Committee, stressed the proposals were in early stages and a major consultation exercise would be carried out over the next few months.

He said he did not believe Bradford's biggest cleansing workers - the shire horses -would lose their role in the city in a shake-up.

The jobs of the gentle giants were saved by Telegraph & Argus readers last year when their litter-picking contract with the Council was in jeopardy because they were too slow.

Hundreds of readers wrote in, demanding that the shaggy team should stay in the city centre because shoppers and children loved to see them. Coun Green said: "The horses aren't just a cleansing issue, they are an attraction."

The company, which would be limited by guarantee, would employ a chief executive, reporting to a board comprising businesses, retailers, councillors and other city-centre stakeholders.

It would be accountable to Bradford Congress - made up of leading organisations - and a forum involving the existing city-centre steering group.

The proposals, which will go to next Wednesday's Executive Committee, will go out for widespread consultation with unions, businesses and organisation.

Council staff affected by the scheme would be transferred to the company or redeployed within the Council.

A report to the Executive Committee by the Council's Assistant Director of Regeneration, Richard Willoughby, says the city centre "does not punch its weight".

He says despite the major attractions, the shopping offered is poor, compared with other major cities.

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