A Bradford councillor today apologised for making an “offensive” remark on Twitter, claiming a meeting’s segue from prostitution to waste management was “sort of apt”.

Coun Simon Cooke (Con, Bingley Rural) was accused of calling sex workers “trash” after tweeting the controversial comment from a Bradford Council meeting on Tuesday night.

The tweet to his 2,744 followers on the social networking site said: “From prostitution to a petition on waste management. Seems sort of apt!”

Today Coun Cooke said his comments had been “misunderstood” and he had meant the “exploitative business of street prostitution” was a waste.

After making the remark, people on Twitter criticised him for being ‘disrespectful’ and ‘offensive’, with one user asking him about the Crossbow Cannibal Stephen Griffiths’ victims.

Karen Ingala Smith ?(@K_Ingala Smith) said: “What do the names Susan Rushworth, Suzanne Blamires and Shelley Armitage mean to you?”

Ally Fogg (?@AllyFogg) said: “I’d have thought in Bradford, of all places, councillors would understand the dangers of portraying street sex workers as sub-human, but you have 2.7k followers, many your voters I guess, who will presume you stand by the sentiment that sex workers = trash.”

And BH ?(@ElevatorGATE) said: “That sounds very condescending and judgmental, not to mention disrespectful.”

Coun Cook replied to much of the criticism, tweeting: “Wasn’t meant to offend. It’s not the women that I think a waste but the exploitative business of prostitution. So sorry.”

He today told the Telegraph & Argus: “It was an unfortunate play on words and if they were misunderstood, I’m sorry. I was misunderstood more than anything and I have responded to the people who replied to me.

“What I was saying was the exploitative business of prostitution is a waste.

“I was disappointed with the debate at the meeting. Only one person mentioned the women involved and it was a waste of an opportunity for debate.”

The T&A today reported how Manningham residents who live on or near Lumb Lane presented a 1,500-signature petition at the Council meeting calling for action to stop prostitution ‘blighting’ their lives and community’.

But Coun Cooke said: “If we are trying to solve the problem of street prostitution without looking at the issues that are associated with it and the women involved, then we can’t solve the problem. Last night was a wasted opportunity to discuss this.”