More than £136 million is expected to be raised in business rates next year across the Bradford district.

Of this cash, half can be kept in the local area under a new Government business rate retention scheme introduced last year.

Bradford Council gets to keep 49 per cent of the money, expected to be about £66.8 million in 2014/15, while the West Yorkshire Fire Authority is given one per cent, about £1.4 million.

The other 50 per cent is paid to central Government.

The scheme is designed to give local authorities a greater incentive to grow businesses in their areas.