Bradford Council will advertise for its partners in future land deals, following an investigation by the district auditors on a controversial sale.

KPMG has described the deal with Haslam Homes - owned by Doncaster-based Keepmoat - as "potentially embarrassing", following a six-month inquiry.

The Council said the land in Albion Road, Idle was being sold to the company because no-one else was interested.

KPMG began an investigation in June last year after being contacted by the leader of the Council's Liberal Democrat group, Councillor Jeanette Sunderland.

She claimed a seven-acre site at Thorpe Edge had been sold to Haslam Homes for only 15 per cent of its market price.

But the Council rigorously defended the deal in which Haslam Homes had agreed to carry out £1 million of extra work on the site where 100 new homes were being built.

KPMG partner Mike Dockray says he has met the Council which has now moved quickly to set out guidelines for the selection of partners. He says it will be followed in all cases and another deal like the one with Haslam Homes will be advertised.

The Council told KPMG it had gone ahead with the deal with Haslam Homes because it was the only company interested in the redevelopment.

Mr Dockray says he has concluded that the land needed significant amounts of remedial works before it could be sold.

He points out that the work included the demolition of flats, and the total cost was estimated by property services officers at £750,000.

"It was proposed to sell the land to Haslam Homes at a consideration of £1,000 for each house built on it. This negotiated value appears reasonable in my view."

Coun Sunderland said today: "Now at least the Council has been made aware that there have to be proper procedures in place when it comes to choosing and dealing with partners."

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