A senior Tory councillor has lost his position on the regional transport authority and quit as a Conservative amid accusations over a “forged letter”.

Chris Greaves, who has represented Wharfedale on Bradford Council since 1998, has been chairman of West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority since last June.

His resignation as a Tory member of the Council comes as Metro holds its annual meeting today when the chairmanship is expected to move to Labour given the party’s stronger position in the region.

Councillor Greaves claims to “have been wronged for doing the right thing” in pushing for an independent investigation into a “forged letter” sent from the Council to Metro.

Following the row, support from the Council’s Tory group, which appointed Coun Greaves to Metro, was withdrawn, effectively ending his position as chairman.

As a result he has resigned from the Conservative group “on a matter of principle” and will now continue as an independent councillor. He said: “I believe that elected members must maintain the highest standards in their public lives and when faced with wrongdoing must act upon it.

“I am unable to remain a member of the Conservative group at the present time because the group leadership, despite my specific advice, has not pushed for a full and thorough independent investigation into the issuance of a forged letter which may have serious legal implications.

“As chairman of Metro, once I was made aware of the forged letter I was required to report the matter and treat it with the seriousness it requires in order that the standards expected in public life are maintained.”

Conservative group leader Councillor Glen Miller told the Telegraph & Argus an audit into the letter was under way and he was disappointed Coun Greaves had quit the group.

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