A 'SUPERCOUNCIL' for West Yorkshire is to rebrand itself around the Leeds name, saying this has greater national and international appeal.

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority is planning to change its name to the Leeds City Region Combined Authority, only three years after its creation.

The body was set up in 2014 to bring together leaders from Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Kirklees, Calderdale and York to handle devolved powers over transport and economic development.

MORE TOP STORIES

A report going before its top committee next week says rebranding the body around its 'core city' could improve its perception further afield.

It says: "Following substantial engagement with key regional businesses, Leeds is considered by those businesses to have stronger recognition and brand perception nationally and internationally.

"Adding 'City Region' enables the WYCA, as it does at present, to leverage the strengths of the core city brand while also making clear the significant scale, opportunities and assets of the wider region, including the unique selling points and distinct characteristics of Bradford, Wakefield, Calderdale, Kirklees, York and the wider region.

"West Yorkshire meanwhile is felt to have more limited recognition and brand perception outside of the region."

But the name change could reignite a debate about whether Leeds is getting too much of the attention in the combined authority arrangement, at the expense of places like Bradford.

A final decision will be taken at the meeting in Leeds on Thursday.