Bradford Council currently has at least £42 million worth of art in its collection - but only 10 per cent of it is available for the public to see.

The figures, released through a Freedom of Information request, show that the Council's collection is made up of 5,000 items, and currently valued at £42,447,321.

However just 500 of these items are currently on display.

Opposition councillors and the Taxpayers' Alliance have called for the authority to make more of the artwork available for public display, or consider selling items to boost the Council's stretched budgets.

But the Council says it is important to keep its art for the "next generation to enjoy" and the head of the Arts Council has also pointed out the importance of the city retaining a strong collection of artwork.

One item in the Council's collection is worth £4m. Although the Council has not disclosed which is the priciest masterpiece - items in its collection include a number of paintings by Bradford-born David Hockney, such as Le Plongeur - made from coloured and pressed paper pulp and currently the centrepiece of the Hockney Gallery in Cartwright Hall.

Bradford's art collection is dwarfed by that owned by Leeds Council. That authority has a collection valued at £171m.

Bradford Council's art is on display in several different venues across the district, including Cliffe Castle Museum in Keighley, Bolling Hall Museum and Cartwright Hall in Lister Park, which is currently running an exhibition on sculptures that have been been in storage for years.

Responding to the figures, chief executive of the Taxpayers Alliance John O'Connell said: "The West Yorkshire councils' behaviour, and Leeds in particular, is shocking.

"When council tax has been going up year after year, and local authorities bemoan their financial situation, this is yet more evidence that they are crying wolf.

"This artwork should be either sold off, or immediately made available for the public to see."

Councillor John Pennington, leader of the Conservatives, said: "All councils are struggling with funding, so this art wants putting on display, or it wants selling and the money put into council services.

"Art needs to be seen and enjoyed by the public."

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, head of the Liberal Democrats on the Council, said: "The Council are facing significant financial challenges over the next few years, and we will need to look at our structure and finances.

"That includes everything. We need to show our artwork - there is no use keeping it locked up. People say it is important for our heritage, but these items need to be enjoyed.

"If they are not being displayed maybe we need to create a trust and have this art put into that trust."

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Healthy People and Places, said: “The art and objects we hold in our museums and galleries are for the people of Bradford.

"Much of it was gifted decades and even centuries ago, it’s not ours to sell, we are merely caretakers before passing it onto the next generation to enjoy.”

Darren Henley, Chief Executive of the Arts Council, said: “It is really important that councils, over time, as part of the story of their place, invest in their arts. Most councils have great works of art in their collections.

“When you think of the cities around the world that are regarded as the most popular tourist destinations, and are considered culturally exciting places, almost all of them have great arts collections.

“People should be very careful about not valuing the art that Bradford and other Yorkshire cities have. It is part of their heritage.

“Nationally, and internationally it is significant – all big cities have strong arts collections, and they can’t display everything all the time.

“There is also a big culture of loaning as well. When Bradford loans its artwork out, it gets the name out there. People visiting other cities will see art that is loaned from Bradford – it is great for promoting the city.”

Leeds Council leader Judith Blake (Lab) said: “Leeds City Council has no intention whatsoever of selling off the city’s ‘family silver’."