A POLICY that sees businesses paying to sponsor roundabouts and grass verges is becoming “increasingly critical” to help maintain Bradford’s parks and green spaces – a report has revealed.

Bradford Council currently receives £128,000 a year from businesses advertising on almost 70 highways verges and roundabouts across the district.

At a meeting on Thursday, Councillors will be asked to approve a new sponsorship procedure that could see the scheme expanded.

And they will be told that with such sponsorship arrangements are increasingly important as Bradford’s parks department budget is squeezed.

The new procedure will update a policy that was first introduced in 1993.

Host of Bradford parks are among some of the best in the country

It has seen small advertising boards installed on prominent roundabouts and traffic islands through the district.

Members of Bradford Council’s Regulatory and Appeals Committee will be told that an update to the policy is needed to make sure the ageing policy doesn’t fall foul of planning or highways laws.

It will also give guidance for allocating new locations for sponsorship boards.

The report said: “The original sponsorship initiative defined the partnership between local business and Bradford Council to support the horticultural maintenance of the sponsored areas.

“The current sponsorship initiative continues under the original ethos and is increasingly critical in meeting income targets required to support delivery of the Parks Service.”

The report says that if the new policy is not approved, it could lead to issues including reduced sponsorship. This could lead to “reduced maintenance standards.”

The report adds: “There would also be a potential negative impact on the Councils reputation with current local business sponsors.”

The Committee meets in City Hall at 10am.