A SENIOR councillor has called on Bradford Council to organise a comprehensive clear-up of debris left in the district's rivers from the devastating Boxing Day floods.

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland (Lib Dem, Idle and Thackley) praised the work of volunteers who have pulled more than six tonnes of rubbish from the River Aire in recent weeks.

Cllr Sunderland said the Idle and Thackley Environmental Group (ITEG), which normally tidies and renovates local footpaths, had done a fantastic job in clearing waste at Buck Mill Bridge, Thackley.

But she said volunteers could only do so much and a full, co-ordinated clear-up scheme for the whole district was needed.

She said: "This is not work for volunteers, however grateful we are for the volunteer effort. Mixing power tools and fast-flowing water is not something we should be asking of people."

Bradford Council is the lead local flood authority for the district.

Cllr Sunderland said she had now met with the authority's chief executive Kersten England to call for the council to ensure a full clear-up takes place.

She said responsibility for clearing debris was a complex picture, saying the Environment Agency removed obstructions from the river if they could cause damage, while private landowners were responsible for keeping riverbanks clear.

She said: "I would like Kersten England to get a grip on our river and have some form of assessment on the work that needs to be done."

Ms England said: "We are very appreciative of the voluntary effort following the Boxing Day floods and it is marvellous to see how communities always pull together in times of crisis.

"Volunteers and councillors and those affected have worked alongside Council staff who have put in a huge amount of time to deal with the impact of the flooding for households and businesses as well as dealing with the infrastructure of the District such as damaged bridges and roads.

"We have supported volunteer-led initiatives along the River Aire, including at Idle and Thackley, by providing bags, litter-picking equipment and collecting and disposing of hundreds of bags of debris and rubbish."

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: "The Environment Agency is working closely with Bradford Council to remove debris and obstructions from watercourses in the area.

"We are being helpfully supported by many volunteers, and so far the work has been going well.

"Recently we’ve removed a number of trees and other debris from the River Aire at Thackley, and in the coming weeks we will be winching out vehicles from the watercourse downstream of Shipley.

"Removing the rubbish and debris from the watercourses is of course good for the appearance of the environment, but this work also helps to reduce flood risk to local communities that can be caused by river blockages."