Council and business leaders across Bradford can today put in their bids to get their hands on a slice of a £24 million handout.

The cash will be available via the new Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) for “shovel-ready” schemes, such as road, housing, shops and business park projects, which can get under way in months.

The money has been provided by the Government amid fears the country could be heading for a “double-dip” recession as winter draws in.

The LEP has six weeks to submit its proposals with the cash to be confirmed by the end of January.

The Leeds City Region LEP is one of 38 to be handed a chunk of a national £500 million pot announced by the Government in September.

Meanwhile, senior councillors in Bradford will this week be asked to release more than £1.9 million of funds for a raft of capital schemes across the district.

A report to Bradford Council’s executive, which meets at 9am on Friday, recommends the money be made available for ten projects as part of the mid-year financial position statement.

Money requested includes £40,000 for a memorial to Bradford’s fallen military personnel, £600,000 for the refurbishment of the ground floor of Britannia House, £450,000 to purchase land and prepare for work on the Canal Road project, £90,000 to support families with “complex needs” and £35,000 to implement the new Blue Badge scheme which comes into force on January 1.

Read more on this story in today's T&A