BRADFORD Council’s top officials, including its leader, will speak at a meeting of the district’s property chiefs.

The local authority’s leader, Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, will be at a joint Property Forum-Professionals’ Network audience in Bradford.

Businesses who attend the meeting will have the chance to hear first-hand about plans for economic growth, regeneration and other issues likely to affect future prosperity across the district.

The audience will also tell the local authority representatives about their issues.

The event will take place on Monday, November 6, between 5pm and 7pm, at the Midland Hotel, Forster Square, Cheapside, Bradford.

The Council’s panel will also include Kersten England, its chief executive; Steve Hartley, director of place and Shelagh O’Neill, assistant director, economy and development.

It is the latest event Cllr Hinchcliffe has held with the district’s business leaders after she spoke to the Bradford Chamber of Commerce’s leadership group in November last year, when she spoke about the need to create new jobs.

The event will be chaired by Bradford Property Forum (BPF) chairman, Allan Booth, who is a director with architects Rance Booth Smith.

He said: “We are very much looking forward to this event – to get four of the most senior Council leaders in the room at the same time is a rare occurrence.

“That’s not to say they are unwilling to speak to businesses: far from it – we are finding that local authority representatives are wanting to meet with and speak to businesses now more than ever.

“It is being held to seek out their views, and find out first-hand how those businesses are doing, and so on. It’s just that, with ever-increasing pressures on time, nailing down a date can take some doing.

“I would urge businesses to get booked onto this event, and get thinking about the questions they want to ask – it’s going to be an interesting couple of hours.”

The Property Forum runs events every three months for businesses in that sector.

The events, which are held in the Bradford district, are planned by a steering group, which also deals with matters affecting business relating to city centre regeneration, employment land, housing and transport. The Council speakers at the November 6 event will be asked to give updates on all these areas at the event.

Bradford’s Professionals’ Network, chaired by BHP’s Roger Thompson, also meets quarterly for businesses in banking/finance, insurance, legal and selected others with formal qualifications.

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Mr Thompson said: “These events are a good platform for businesses to meet and speak to influential people who can have a direct bearing on the future direction of our economy and our city.”

He added: “We appreciate the time being given by the panel, and we’re looking forward to their updates, as well as expecting some challenging questions.”

To book for the event, or for more information, call 01274 206660. It is priced £15 for Property Forum members or £30 for non-members.