Renovation work on a Bradford housing estate has been suspended following a pay row between the construction company and the Council.

Builders carrying out roofing repairs to four high-rise blocks on the Thorpe Edge estate have been ordered to down tools by the project's main contractor - halfway through ripping off the tiles.

Weaver Construction Ltd was awarded the £767,891 contract to renew the roof and central heating systems and fit new kitchens earlier this year.

Now it claims Bradford Council is refusing to settle the bill, despite the standard of work being up to scratch, and is threatening to go to court.

John McCredie, contracts director at the Mexborough-based company, said: "Bradford Council has failed to pay for works which have been carried out in accordance with its own specification.

"We do not wish to comment further as there is a possibility that we shall be instigating legal proceedings if the payments situation is not regularised."

A spokesman for Bradford Council's housing department confirmed work had been suspended on the tower blocks, saying: "There is a contractual dispute between the Council and Weaver Construction because it has not carried out the work to the specification in the contract. We are doing all we can to ensure the situation is resolved as quickly as possible."

This latest dispute comes just three months after the Telegraph and Argus revealed that a number of the high-rise flats had been hit by flooding following work carried out by the company.

At the time, Bradford Council said it was unhappy about the standard of workmanship.

Today Thorpe Edge High Rise Tenants' Association vice-chairman Peter Hatherall said it was up to the Council to ensure repairs were finished before it started arguing over the cost.

He said: "Parts of the roof on one of the blocks have already been ripped up. If we have substantial rainfall, tenants will be flooded out again. The tenants are stuck right in the middle of this argument and that's just not fair on them."

Ron Hickey, contracts manager at Thackley-based Paragon Roofing & Asphalt Limited, which has been sub-contracted to carry out work on behalf of Weaver Construction, said his team had been ordered to leave the site earlier this week.

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