Bradford Council has voted to step up its opposition to the proposed post office closures throughout the district.

At yesterday's meeting of the full Council members called on the authority's new chief executive Philip Robinson to write to the Royal Mail expressing the public outrage at the move.

The amendment, moved by Council leader Margaret Eaton, followed a debate which centred on the need for meaningful consultation about any closures and their impact on Bradford's ongoing regeneration programme.

Mr Robinson's first job - in the role he was yesterday given permanently - will now be to oppose the Royal Mail closures. However, Coun Eaton said she recognised that representation alone will not do much good.

"I have been told that petitions or consultation findings will make no difference but I sincerely hope that is not the case."

She added: "The Exchange Street post office is in the heart of the city and is close to the regeneration of Broadway. We have seen very strong opposition to the closure, but timescales are such that meaningful consultation cannot take place, and that is a process not reflected in the guidelines issued by the Government."

In his maiden speech Councillor Andrew Thornton (Lab, Royds) added: "Consultation has to be real and we have to be listened to."

Councillor John Briggs (Lib Dem, Baildon) said: "We are talking about regeneration, and anything which takes away from that - which is what the Post Office is seeking to do - we have to oppose."

There had been disagreement on other issues earlier on in the chamber however, when the parties debated proposals to reduce the community development budget.

The Labour group's deputy leader Councillor Dave Green accused the Conservatives of either losing control of the budget or hiding the policy from the electorate.

He said: "In one fell swoop these proposals will not only take away the central support of community groups but will put in danger numerous jobs that provide the spine of many of them."

He added: "The voluntary sector should not be used for cuts in Council services - it is not somewhere you can hide your budget problems."

During the debate deputy leader of the Conservative group, Councillor Kris Hopkins, shouted down Councillor David Ford (Green, Heaton), the author of an amendment opposing the proposed cuts, saying: "You are talking rubbish, sit down you idiot. You don't know what you are talking about."

Coun Hopkins later apologised and said the proposals are only asking for a report into budget cuts at this stage.

"I do not want to remove anything that affects frontline services. If the report comes back and says 15 community centres are going to close and people will lose their jobs - I understand what you are saying," he said.

Coun Hopkins also accused the Labour of deceiving community groups into thinking the decision to cut staff had already been made.

Members passed the Green group amendment rejecting the proposed reductions in community development funding.

The proposal will next be considered by the all-Conservative executive committee on Friday.