A bid to open a pioneering "One Stop Shop", bringing Bradford Council services direct to people in the heart of Manningham, is likely to win approval.

The new joint service Manningham Centre would house a wide range of essential Council and other services, information, an interpreting service and advice under one roof for the benefit of the local community.

A report to the Council's policy and resources committee next Tuesday says the pilot service centre will help make local government more accessible and effective to the people it serves.

In the short term the Manningham Centre would be based in the existing Benefits Service office, at the junction of Lumb Lane and Carlisle Road, but if the pilot scheme is successful a permanent base will be sought.

But today a row erupted about the centre as the leader of the Tory group Councillor Margaret Eaton said people were tired of the way scarce Council resources were always being targeted at the same parts of the city.

She said: "Residents in places like Baildon, Bingley, Clayton, Queensbury, Thornton and elsewhere pay exactly the same Council Tax as those in Manningham.

"Surely few people will agree that it is right to spend almost £190,000 on a glorified community centre while our schools are being chronically under funded and social services are either being withdrawn or subject to ever higher charges."

But Council leader Councillor Ian Greenwood said the provision of a centre had been recommended in high-powered reports into the Manningham riots.

"It was clear that it was needed. It is absolutely clear the Tories are doing naked electioneering which is offensive to the people of Bradford."

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