An animal waste-carrying company accused of causing a stench on roads near Bradford has met residents and community leaders to try to answer their concerns.

Councillors, Environment Agency staff, members of the Shibden Valley Society and residents in Northowram and Shelf attended the meeting at the Leo Group’s site at Swalesmoor Farm, Boothtown.

But residents living in Thornton, who are opposing the company’s attempts to double the number of its vehicles allowed to travel in and out of its site at Half Acre Road, Denholme, say they were not invited to attend.

A group of Queensbury residents, who are opposing the company’s bid to increase its lorries, were also unable to attend the meeting, which included a tour of the site.

Leo Group managing director Danny Sawrij said: “We believe setting up this liaison group is a step in the right direction, and one where we can work closer with the local community and its elected leaders.

“We were disappointed a number of our most vocal objectors from Queensbury declined our invitation this time, but we are going to offer them another opportunity to meet us.

“I feel the first meeting was a success. It has opened up new channels of communication and we hope the community sees this as a positive move.”

Graham Fawthrop, of Thornton, who set up campaign website smellywagons.co.uk, said: “Any move forward to do with liasing with the community is a very positive step. If I had been invited to the meeting I would have accepted and would have informed the rest of the supporters.

“We feel that it’s absolutely essential to work with the company to improve problems with noise, smell and spillages. Hopefully I will be invited to the next meeting and we would put that on the website.”

Councillor Michael Walls (Con, Queensbury) said residents in the area, who had voiced concerns about the company, had been away on holiday at the time of the meeting.

He said: “It’s all very well having a liaison group, but all we want is for them to stop running 24 hours a day. It’s a PR exercise. The wagons don’t go into Calderdale. Queensbury and Thornton are the only places affected – 96 per cent of the vehicles’ journeys are in Queensbury and Thornton.”

A spokesman for the Leo Group said Thornton residents were not invited to the meeting as it was held to discuss operations at Swalesmoor and the company’s application to Calderdale Council to replace storage sheds on the site.

No meeting was planned at the Half Acre Road site, he added. A second meeting is due to be held in Swalesmoor within the next few weeks.