Protesters fighting for the re-instatement of a senior council officer have called on Local Government Minister Hilary Armstrong for support.

The action group pressing for Mohammed Masood to be allowed to return to his City Hall job has also organised a mass rally in Centenary Square before tomorrow's Council meeting.

Mr Masood, the Bradford West Area Panel Co-ordinator, has been sacked for alleged gross misconduct. He is appealing against the Council's decision.

The Council says it cannot comment on the case but the T&A understands it follows a complaint of personal harassment by Mr Masood of a member of his staff.

At the time of his sacking Mr Masood was waiting for industrial tribunal hearings of claims he has made against the Council and two top officers alleging discrimination. Both hearings are due to be held next month.

Mr Masood has undertaken high-profile work in the past. He was involved in the commission set up to investigate the Manningham riots, giving important evidence to the panel.

He was also a key player in a successful application for funds from the Government's Single Regeneration Budget to help Manningham and Girlington.

Community groups in Bradford West have spoken out strongly against his dismissal. The action group has distributed hundreds of leaflets claiming "municipal cronyism" in City Hall.

It argues Mr Masood has suffered unfair and biased treatment.

He was sacked after a disciplinary hearing, an exercise his union representative, Geoff Robinson of Unison, described today as a waste of time. "This sacking is a travesty," he said.

A letter from the protesters to Mrs Armstrong asks for a meeting with her when she visits Bradford tomorrow.

A spokesman for the group said it wanted to discuss worsening relations between the community and Council. He said Council staff were "totally demoralised" by the situation.

Mr Robinson has written to Mrs Armstrong asking her to meet a small delegation as the matter is of public concern.

Neither Mr Masood nor the Council would comment on the latest developments, and Mrs Armstrong's department said it was a matter for the local authority.

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