A CAMPAIGNER has launched a bid to create a parish council in a Bradford village.

Jason Smith wants to set up Queensbury Parish Council - and is seeking support from locals to do so.

Mr Smith, who campaigned for Brexit in Bradford, said Queensbury residents feel overlooked by Bradford Council. He said his parish council campaign would remain “strictly non-party political”.

He said: “People in Queensbury are rightly concerned that their ever-increasing Council tax bill is never spent in Queensbury. A parish council could begin to rectify this and bring valuable funding to Queensbury to support local projects and groups.”

Mr Smith, who is a former chairman of UKIP in Bradford and District, is preparing a parish council petition - which must contain the signatures of at least 7.5 per cent of the local population - to present to Bradford Council.

He said he would also soon unveil a cost plan for the parish council.

Mr Smith added: “I believe a parish council is our best chance of retaining the Queensbury swimming pool. The extra community funding received from the parish precept could also enable a parish council to do other important work in the area, such as hire a street gritter. But this decision will ultimately be made by local people.”

He continued: “”Ideally, if it was my decision, I would look to bring it away from Bradford Council - but I don’t think that is going to happen.

“Bradford Council has been very hesitant on this issue before. They see a parish council as another tier of local government that will undercut them.”

Councillor Paul Cromie (Ind, Queensbury) said: “It is a good idea and Lynda and I would back it 100 per cent.

“People do seem to think that they send their money in council tax down to Bradford and get nothing back.”

He added: “It would improve things because we would be able to vote on local issues.

“I would hope that people would back it. Quite a few people have mentioned it in the past.

“The proof of the pudding would be in the eating - to see how many people would back it once it all gets going.”

A Council spokesman said: “Unless we are aware of what steps the resident has taken to set this up and what contact he has had with Bradford Council about the request, then it would not be possible to make any comment about his ambition at this stage.”