No-one knows Bradford better than Bradfordians, so some of the broad findings of two reports into the state of our district may not be all that surprising to readers.

After all, most locals surely know which areas are affluent and which are less so and will be conscious that there is a gulf between the richest and most deprived.

They will also be aware of the district’s well-documented health issues, its worrying levels of unemployment, and its lowly, and unacceptable, position in education league tables.

But the reports are still very welcome and should prove hugely influential.

It is good to see, for example, some of Bradford’s positives highlighted – including an economy worth more than £7bn, a high level of entrepreneurialism, a growing visitor economy and good cultural provision – points which can all too often be ignored.

But there is no getting away from the fact that we face enormous challenges and the documents have pulled those challenges together with a level of detail and completeness that makes them hard to ignore.

Because of that, they should prove an excellent starting point for the Council to shape its plans for the future, meaning we should be able to expect strategies that deliver real, positive benefits in the years to come.

It is also to be hoped the Government has been made aware of these challenges, some of them unique to Bradford, and that that knowledge will be reflected in its forthcoming spending announcements.