BRADFORD Council has announced that a full Council meeting due to take place tomorrow has been cancelled.

All 90 members of Bradford Council were due to meet in City Hall at 4pm, but the Council has today announced that it will be cancelled "in order to enable councillors and staff to focus on full-time planning to respond to Coronavirus."

Among the items on the agenda were a call for greater government action on flooding, a discussion on support for mental health services and Bradford's ambition to be a child friendly district.

Two petitions were due to be presented by members of the public - once calling for Keighley's library service to be protected, and another calling for debris to be removed from a Riddlesden street.

The Council's Executive were also due to answer 39 questions from Councillors from all parties.

It is the first Council meeting to be halted because of the virus.

Coronavirus could cancel West Yorkshire Combined Authority meetings

Bradford Council Leader Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe said: “Our councillors need to be out in their communities supporting constituents their rather than sitting in City Hall talking to each other. 

"Lots of brilliant work is going in communities across the district helping people and I want to thank people for thinking of their neighbours first.

“Other decision-making meetings will continue to take place so that business as usual is maintained. 

"It’s common sense though, that in these unprecedented circumstances, the priority should be to ensure we direct Council resources well.”  

Bradford Council Chief Executive Kersten England said: “We have taken the decision to cancel the meeting of Full Council tomorrow in consultation with all the major political parties due to the pressing demands on the local authority to prepare and respond to the COVID-19 emergency.

“The Council takes the democratic process very seriously and we will be reviewing all our democratic arrangements and processes to ensure the authority can continue to operate effectively.”