A COALITION has been formed between the Bradford Council Conservative Group and Queensbury Independent councillor Luke Majkowski.

Cllr Majkowski retained his seat at the local elections earlier this month.

He had been a Conservative councillor until early 2022, when he left the party blaming issues with the local Conservative Federation.

The Conservatives currently have 13 seats on the 90 seat Council, and Cllr Majkowski is one of 13 independents sitting on the authority.

Councillor Rebecca Poulsen, Leader of the Conservative Group, said: “Bradford Council has nosedived into decline in recent years and it is far from certain that they’ve identified a road to recovery yet, so it is imperative that there is a strong opposition there to challenge the Labour Group’s every mistake, as these are frequently potentially catastrophic.

“Sadly, it has become blatant that the bulk of the ‘opposition’ members of the Council are so in name only, as they regularly stand up in the Council Chamber to criticise the Labour Executive, but then routinely vote to support their budgets and priorities which have caused the Council’s financial collapse.

“My Conservative Group colleagues and I have noticed that throughout the Council’s collapse, other than us, the only remaining member of the Council to have consistently voted against the woeful Labour budgets and associated debacles, is Councillor Luke Majkowski, and it is sensible for those who I consider to be the only genuine opposition members of the Council to work together.”