A regeneration area in Bradford could become the district's first inner city parish council.

Notices have gone out to create the council in the Trident regeneration area around Manchester Road and includes Marshfields, West Bowling and Park Lane.

Officers are also looking at creating parish councils right across Bradford South - one for each ward.

And Bradford Council is set to work more closely with parish councils if a new charter is agreed this week.

The charter will help create more parish councils as well as support existing ones. When issued it will lay out their roles and responsibilities.

Bradford is one of the first local authorities to develop this type of charter. It has already been approached by other authorities wanting to follow its example and it has been recognised as a model for advising and supporting parish councils by the National Association of Parish Councils and the Countryside Agency.

A link officer has been appointed by the Council and a Parish Council Liaison Group has been set up.

Councillor Simon Cooke, the executive member for regeneration and culture, said: "Town and parish councils play a vital role in our communities and these arrangements allow us to support their work and encourage more to set up.

"Improved working relationships with parish councils has already proved mutually beneficial allowing them increased access to Council services and the Council a more effective means of consulting with the community.

"By supporting the development of good quality parish councils we can offer a better service to our community."

There are more than a dozen town and parish councils in the Bradford district and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is considering plans to set up a parish council for Harden and a town council for Baildon.

Councillor Michael Elsmore, the mayor of Silsden and chairman of the Yorkshire Local Councils Associations, said he welcomed the move.

He said: "I know that it has the support of all the town and parish councils in the Bradford area.

"Close co-operation between our tier of local government with the district council is very important in providing a better service to the local communities.

"We have already come a long way and we look forward to a strengthening of relationships in the years to come."

If the charter is approved at Tuesday's executive meeting, the Council will host a formal signing ceremony.