A "secrecy" row blew up this week over the latest crisis to hit Bradford council's problem-torn schools re-organisation.

Chief executive Ian Stewart has been ordered to investigate the placements system, as it was revealed that the authority faced a £5 million bill for the salaries of 150 teachers and some support staff who have failed to get new jobs at schools.

The executive committee, which takes all the council's keys decisions, has asked him to prepare an urgent cost-cutting plan in view of the placement problem, and the need to redirect £11 million from the council's budget over the next three years to push standards up in schools.

The council also has to repay some of the loan charges for funding borrowed for the massive shake up.

And - in another spin off - the council may lose some of its yearly Government spending settlement because the district's pupil numbers have reduced. The council's Tory leader, Councillor Margaret Eaton, believes some parents have switched to schools outside the district because of uncertainty during the shake up.

But the vital report on Mr Stewart's findings will not go back to the executive committee because deputy leader Cllr Richard Wightman says the situation is urgent.

He said: "I am not sure we have the luxury of being able to say plans must go back to the executive. We need to start making savings now."

But Labour education spokesman Cllr Ralph Berry said: "I think we need to have open and frank discussion on this and it must be in public. If they don't do it I will get the information and make it public.

"There are problems on a number of levels. At the end of the day we are in the business of getting teachers into jobs."

But Cllr Eaton said: "We have this unholy mess because of Labour secrecy about the schools re-organisation when they were in control."

She said minority groups had been kept totally in the dark and one thing after another was now "creeping out of the woodwork".

Cllr Eaton said discussions on a way forward would have to be held with schools and teachers.

Executive member for education Cllr David Ward said: "I don't see this as an issue. If there were any major policy decisions or changes they would go to the executive committee.

"This needs to be resolved quickly in terms of both finance and staff morale. These staff are, after all, the victims of the schools reorganisation."