Campaigners quizzed councillors in a bid to ensure the long-term future of a Bradford day centre used by disabled people.

Last year thousands of people signed a petition to keep Whetley Hill Resource Centre open after Bradford Council planned to close it down as part of budget cuts.

The campaign prompted the Council to begin a consultation with users over the way forward.

Now Council bosses are recommending the centre be given until April next year to make enough savings to secure its future.

Changes, including closing the centre for one day a week and charging £3 for food and transport, could be made to save money. And further work would look at how the building can be better-used by the community.

Yesterday, the Council held a meeting at the Manningham centre where campaigners asked councillors questions.

Leading campaigner Kath Wooller asked for reassurances that users would be offered an alternative if the centre were to close for an extra day a week.

She spoke about the transport service, asking if those attending the centre were to pay £3 for a return journey, that the service became more efficient. She also called for the quality of the hot lunches on offer at the centre to be improved.

Chairman of the social care overview and scrutiny committee, Councillor John Robertshaw, told the meeting the scrutiny panel would keep a close eye on progress with any future plan for Whetley Hill and would do everything within its power to help users.

The Council’s assistant director for operational services within the adult services department, Janice Simpson, warned users £270,000 needed to be spent on the building for repairs and upgrading over the next five years, with £20,000 of emergency work needed if the centre remains open for another year.

A decision on the reprieve will be made by councillors at the next meeting of the executive on Friday, January 20.