A high powered partnership will be set up to breathe new life into Airedale as the vital Bingley relief road becomes a reality.

It follows concerns that outer areas will be ignored if a Government-backed Urban Regeneration Company is set up to spearhead the regeneration of the jaded city centre.

The Council would go into a joint venture partnership with Government regeneration agency Yorkshire Forward.

It would have access to public funds which could be the base for bids to Europe and other organisations.

But chairman of the regeneration scrutiny committee, Councillor Andy Mudd, said at the time it was announced that he feared while the city flourished the rest of district lost out.

Now organisations and businesses have been invited by Bradford Council to a meeting at the Bankfield Hotel, Bingley, on June 20, to attend workshops and gain information.

The aim will be to develop an action plan for the towns and communities outside the city.

Discussions will also be held about the potential role, function and make up of a partnership.

Councillor Simon Cooke, Bradford Council's executive member for the economy, said the partnership would cover the area from the Leeds boundary at Apperley Bridge to beyond Crosshills.

He said: "It is a crucial transport corridor and where Pace and Filtronic grew. But the whole economic picture wants co-ordinating. I hope we can move it along quickly. We want to involve organisations and businesses and hope we will be ableto move it along quickly. "

But Coun Mudd (Lab, Keighley West) warned that the partnership should not be a talking shop.

He said: "I have been very critical of the plans for an Urban Regeneration Company because it excludes the rest of the district.

"In broad terms I want to see a partnership established but it has to have clout and access to funds."