The leader of Bradford Council has hit back at critical reports by social charities which he claims only add to Bradford’s problems rather than solving them.

Councillor Ian Greenwood’s comments come in the wake of research for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s Living Through Change programme, which looked into the effect of the economic downturn on the city.

The report concluded that image of Bradford as a “problem city” – one divided and segregated – was seen as untrue and a barrier to investment.

In addition, local leadership came under fire for not doing enough to counter these negative images and over the delayed Westfield shopping centre plans which also had a significant impact on perceptions of the city.

Coun Greenwood said: “I am sick to death of academics and the charities that support them coming to Bradford and effectively living off the past. Every time one of these reports comes out it generates bad publicity.

“We know what we need to do – we need to regenerate the city centre and other centres, get the education of our kids up to the proper level, address the housing shortage and have a mature dialogue about the relationship between communities.

“We need to look forward not back and I’m not going to enter a game of recriminations. Reports like this are part of the problem, not the solution.”

Tory group leader Councillor Glen Miller said it was easy for outsiders to write critical reports focusing on the district’s past, but that more of the emphasis should be on the future.

He said: “Bradford has historically received its fair share of negative press and resultantly it does have a relatively bad image outside the area. However the riots that repeatedly get mentioned were over ten years ago, as were problems causing the Council to put its education service out to a private operator.

“The city centre has contained some large vacant plots of land for longer than we would have hoped, but the development of these plots should bring new business and opportunities.”

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said: “The report is reflective of the lives and experiences of people in Bradford and I think there is some good stuff in there in terms of some of the things around advice to businesses.

“Sometimes it does feel like we are living under a bit of a microscope, but shooting the messenger is not helpful.”

Joseph Rowntree Foundation chief executive Julia Unwin responded to the criticism by saying: “The Joseph Rowntree Foundation shares the determination of the political leaders who want Bradford to prosper. That is why we have spent the last eight years working in the city closely with community and civic leaders, and contributing funds and sharing knowledge.”

Bana Gora, policy and research manager at the foundation, described Bradford as a great city but pointed out that its recent history was also full of challenges. She said focusing on Bradford’s ethnic make-up had diverted attention from the underlying issues of poverty and inequality.

She said: “For these reasons many in the city feel let down by both local and national leaders.”