Genetically modified crops will be banned from being grown on land owned by Bradford Council.

And members have reinforced their commitment to a GM-free policy on all its goods and services.

Members of the two biggest parties were given a free vote on the issue at a Council meeting.

And they backed a Green group motion, slightly amended by the Conservatives, demanding that the Council's executive group adopts the two positions as policy and also considers appealing against any applications for licences to grow GM plants.

Councillor David Ford (Green, Heaton) who tabled the motion, said: "This is important to the ordinary person in the street because people want to know that their food is safe and not contaminated with GM - the jury is still out on how safe it is for human health. Now, if they are concerned about GM food, they know that products grown locally are safe."

But the motion does not affect private landowners and the Council admits that if the Government granted a licence to a Bradford farmer there would be little it could do.

John Cullett, a former Bradford regional representative for the National Farmers Union and former-member of its national council, supports GM food trials. He is concerned at the Council's decisions.

Mr Cullett admitted to being sceptical of GM foods until he saw the results. He said: "There is a lot of hype about it but I don't think anyone who is for or against it can say it is safe or not.

"There is no doubt in my mind trials should continue and be monitored because there are so many beneficial spin-offs if we can be sure we don't get any nasty side-effects. I do believe, in many ways, it is a golden opportunity,"

He believes decisions on whether to grow GM should rest with the Government or the EU. He said: "Councils should stop interfering. It should be put before the public and debated but I don't think we need individual councils setting out what they think should be done."

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, the Council's executive member for the environment, agreed but said the authority must make a decision about the land and services it operates.

She said: "As landowners we can take a view and as purchasers we can take a view, but we cannot change the law.

"When both Conservative and Labour groups made a decision that there would be a free vote on the issue, that in itself shows there is a question mark over GM foods."

Mr Cullet believes continuing uncertainty could be harming the industry's progress. He said: "I remember, when I was a lad there was a local farmer who was one of the first to use ICI commercial fertiliser and we used to think he would come unstuck but that has not happened. Crops are still being grown there."