A leading councillor today complained that business had gone "underground" in Bradford Council.

Labour group leader Councillor Ian Greenwood is pressing for more open decision-making in Britain's fourth biggest metropolitan authority.

He has also written to Chief Executive Ian Stewart asking what decisions have been made by officers in the past month, without going to meetings which were open to the public. He said: "Decisions are still being made somewhere, and it isn't in public and open to scrutiny. They are removed from public access."

But today Tory Council leader Councillor Margaret Eaton said the Council was more open than it had been for a decade, when Labour had been in control.

She said during Labour rule the minority groups had "only known what was going on through the Telegraph & Argus - unlike the present system where all groups are involved and all decisions published on the Internet".

Coun Eaton said no other political parties had been involved or received information during Labour rule at City Hall, which ended last May.

The row centres on reference groups, comprising a member representing each of the three main political groups.

The private meetings are called when officers empowered to make delegated decisions want advice from members.

There have been 17 decisions taken after private meetings since last June, including:

lEstablishing an interim racial equality contact team, prior to a permanent race equality service being set up by next March.

lAllowing rugby to be played at Lidget Green cricket and athletics club ground.

Increasing trade refuse charges.

lA nursery being set up at Lowerfields Primary School, Bradford.

lInstructions to officers to dispose of eight schools, including Woodroyd Middle, Hambledon Primary and Highfield Middle, Keighley, which were surplus because of the schools review.

But Coun Eaton said they were not major decisions and were mainly emergency matters which could not wait for an executive meeting. She added: "This is a more inclusive process than I have ever known on this Council. Everybody has a contribution to make."

She said the budget process was more open than ever before and there had been "virtually no items" on executive meetings when Labour was in control because of decisions taken behind closed doors.

Executive member for education Councillor David Ward said the sale of school sites was public knowledge and they were advertised.