Senior councillors at Bradford Council have agreed to find £235,000 from its reserves to pay for the aftermath of a diesel spillage from a ruptured underground tank earlier this year.

The spillage from a tank at its Shearbridge Road depot left the surrounding land and nearby watercourse polluted. The cost of the clean-up and securing other similar diesel tanks left the authority with a bill of £235,000 for the emergency work.

The Council’s executive yesterday agreed to find the money from reserves and heard how the Council could face potential legal action after the spillage.

The Environment Agency was notified of the underground spill, which saw 5,500 litres seeping into the ground and the beck in April. While the Council’s swift response was praised by the agency, an investigation is continuing.