Bradford Council holds the key to selling-off Leeds Bradford Airport as it will be the last shareholder to make a decision.

Bradford is one of five councils in West Yorkshire which jointly own the airport, and by selling its 40 per cent share the Council could raise at least £14 million.

Leeds, the other major shareholder, agreed yesterday to follow the advice of financial experts and put the airport on the market.

Wakefield has also made a decision but has so far refused to make it public.

Calderdale will decide next week and Kirklees at the beginning of next month. Together these three councils control a 20 per cent share.

Bradford will not make its mind up until October 5 at the earliest, as a special executive meeting is to be arranged. Its decision could mean the difference between an outright or partial sale.

If all the authorities agree to go ahead, the airport at Yeadon could be in the hands of private investors by April.

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, the executive member for environment, said: "Our position is that all the other four authorities will go for an outright sale.

"We have no indication that anything other than that would happen.

"But Bradford does not want to be in a position of being a minority share-holder."

A report from consultants Ernst and Young says there is "significant appetite" in the market at the moment and advises selling outright. If not, if all the five shareholders agree, at least 60 per cent should be sold.

It adds that it would be "timely" to bring forward any sale as the situation could change.

And "an international incident, that affects the aviation industry, could dampen market appetite", it says.

They recommend a February deadline for bids and that the airport's name remains the same.

A preferred bidder and a reserve bidder would then be selected.

The cost of taking on Ernst and Young is to be met by the eventual buyer.

A total of 2.6 million passengers pass through the airport a year, with figures expected to nearly double in the next ten years.

A significant amount of investment will also be needed.

e-mail: jo.winrow@bradford.newsquest.co.uk