A FORMER Lord Mayor has denied claims of a “hidden agenda” over the running of Eccleshill Mechanics Institute, after a vote of no confidence was passed against him.

Councillor Geoff Reid, chairman of the Eccleshill Community Association, refused to resign from his role at a meeting called on Friday by campaigners fighting to save Eccleshill Community Association Ltd (ECA), the company that leases the Mechanics Institute from Bradford Council.

Cllr Reid opted to put ECA into voluntary insolvency last month, due to financial issues.

But this move was blocked by Terry Pearson, a member of the Eccleshill Mechanics Institute Action Group, and a board meeting was called.

Following the meeting, the planned liquidation was halted, and another meeting was held on Friday where a vote of no confidence in Cllr Reid and ECA treasurer Councillor Nicola Pollard was passed by four votes to three.

Mr Pearson was appointed to the board at the meeting along with other action group members Mike De Greasley and Andrew Chilton.

Mr Pearson said a number of directors believed there was a “hidden agenda” to favour the closure to enable Inspired Neighbourhoods CIC to take over the Mechanics Institute.

Cllr Reid disputed the claim, and said: “The situation all along was Inspired Neighbourhoods offered to assist us with the process of voluntary insolvency.

“All the minutes from meetings will show that, and the idea was when we got through that a steering group would be set up involving anyone interested in reopening the Mechanics.

“It was not a takeover, it was assistance, and in my view it was important to get on with it as quickly as possible.

“What has now happened will simply delay the reopening of the Mechanics for the community which is what we wanted all along.”

Cllr Reid also vowed to keep involved with the ECA and offered his help, but said he did not know the direction the new board members wanted to take the company in.

“Obviously I have continued interest in what is happening, and Nicola and I are still directors and won’t be resigning any time soon,” he said.

Ahead of the meeting on Friday, vice-chairman Shirley Holdsworth said the action group wanted to take the ECA forward on a community-led basis, which included forming a Friends of Eccleshill Mechanics Institute group and asking members of the public and local businesses for donations to keep the centre open.

The Mechanics Institute will mark its 150th anniversary as a community hub in Eccleshill next year.