A group which stayed overnight at a luxury hotel to organise an anti-poverty plan could have held their meeting in a business centre near their base - for just £65.

And part of the money paid for the rooms at Carlisle Business Centre would have been used to help the community, it emerged today.

A row has erupted after a shadow board overseeing a multi-million pound regeneration scheme in Little Horton decided to stay at the luxury Craiglands Hotel in Ilkley.

Board member and tenants leader Lil Acklam says she asked for an away-day to get down to business away from everyday pressures to make clear decisions.

The stay was paid for out of a £200,000 pot set aside by the Government for the preparation of a multi-million pound bid to help Britain's second most deprived Council ward.

But today it was confirmed the board could have met in Manningham's Carlisle Business Centre for just £65.

Part of the money paid to non-profit making Action for Business Ltd which runs the building for its owners, Bradford Council, would have been ploughed back into community projects to help deprived families.

The bill would have been less than the cost of a single bedroom at the elite hotel.

Today, Bradford West Labour MP Marsha Singh, said: "I wish they had gone for a cheaper option. We do know that a very large amount of work goes into these projects but I think this was unfortunate and could have affected the public's perception of the work which was being done.''

However, Jean-Paul Noret, manager of the Quality Victoria Hotel in Bradford, defended the move. He said: "It is sometimes better for everyone to be together and see it through and thrash it out."

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