BRADFORD Council's Conservative party have revealed their alternative budget proposals, which would see two major projects scrapped.

The Conservatives today revealed their response to the Labour led Council's proposed 2018/19 budget.

Among the more eye catching proposals are plans to remove two capital projects from the budget - a new leisure centre on Squire Lane, and the planned re-location of Bradford's City Centre markets from Oastler Market to the former Marks & Spencer building on Darley Street.

In their place the Tories would fund £5 million worth of repairs to swimming pools in Queensbury and Bingley, currently earmarked for closure, and £1 million funding for works on community halls throughout the district, including transferring them to local ownership.

Councillors will meet in City Hall tomorrow to iron out the upcoming year's budget, and opposition parties will suggest their own budgets as an alternative to the Labour proposals.

The Conservative budget will maintain Labour's proposed 5.99 per cent council tax rise. They would direct £1.35m extra into highways maintenance over three years – replacing the Labour Executive proposals to put this sum into children’s services.

The party would restructure the capital programme to allow for the redirection of funding allocated to fund repayment of borrowing to children’s services – representing an increase in the budget to support vulnerable children of over £2m in 2018/19 rising to £2.8m in 2020/21.

They would also end payment of full time union officials and reduce the number of councillors by 15.

Councillor Simon Cooke, leader of the Bradford Conservatives, said: "We do not believe that the Labour Executive has prepared a budget that reflects the best support for vulnerable children and adults possible within the funding constraints. The decision to allocate a further £2m to fund borrowing for unfunded development schemes and the continued failure to limit the costs of running the Council mean that the opportunity to mitigate serious pressures in children’s services have been missed.

"At the same time the Labour Executive continue to give priority to capital programmes focused on the centre of Bradford while closing or off-loading vital community assets in outlying parts of the District.

"We also feel that the lack of funding for highways maintenance and local road safety schemes represent a growing problem as the roads deteriorate and become less safe.

"The Conservative Group believe these amendments significantly improve the budget proposed by the Executive and reflect the real preferences of local communities rather than the indulgence of pet schemes."

The meeting will be held in City Hall at 4pm.