CLAIMS that people avoid Bradford city centre because they don't feel safe there were disputed during a Council meeting.

But one Council boss acknowledged that the perception of the centre can be an issue - and that upcoming developments will hopefully change that.

Councillor Riaz Ahmed (Lib Dem, Bradford Moor) made the claim during a presentation on regeneration plans for the City Centre made at Bradford Council's Regeneration and Environment Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday night.

Members were told that there were currently a number of major city centre regeneration projects under construction or about to start. These included the regeneration of the former Odeon building into a new live music venue, which will be known as Bradford Live, the construction of a new market on Darley Street to replace the city's existing markets, and the development of a new office building - One City Park - on the former Tyrls Police Station site.

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However, Cllr Ahmed argued that despite the proposals for the centre, Bradford had a reputation of being unsafe. He said: "People don't feel safe coming into Bradford, what are we doing about the safety of people in the city centre?"

Councillor Nussrat Mohammed (Lab, Heaton) replied: "I think it is unfair to say that people feel unsafe coming into Bradford. I am a mother of five, and my children come into the city to go to the cinema and feel safe, and as a mother I don't ever feel concerned when they go to the city centre.

"It is a generalisation to say people feel unsafe in the city centre."

Councillor Alex Ross Shaw, Executive for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, replied to Cllr Ahmed: "I do take your point about perception.

"If we get footfall in the city centre up then it will improve perception of safety.

"If footfall is low then any anti social behaviour in the city centre is exposed. A lack of people also creates more empty space for people to congregate."

He said there had recently been investment in outreach work to deal with anti-social behaviour issues at the Top of Town area of the centre.

Cllr Ross Shaw argued that the new developments would bring people into the city centre, and change perceptions of the city.

He said: "Think about Bradford Live, once that is running it will bring 300,000 people to the city centre a year. When you have so many people in the centre people feel more safe. It doesn't take the problems away, but it really changes the feel and perception of the place."