A leading councillor has warned a blueprint for the city centre might as well be "torn up and thrown away" if it is not accompanied by a public consultation exercise.

The message came from Councillor John Godward (Lab, Great Horton) as the Economic Scrutiny Committee put plans to breathe new life into the city centre under the microscope.

The proposal to set up a high-powered panel of experts to guide the development of the city centre was approved by the executive committee in March. But it was called in by the Economic Scrutiny Committee, which was concerned about the cost implications.

The committee grilled executive member for the economy Councillor Simon Cooke and top officers but decided to let the plan go through subject to a report which included the costs of the project.

Director of regeneration Richard Willoughby said it was difficult to give costs before consultants were hired for the scheme. But Labour councillor Andy Mudd told him that under the Local Government Act he had to have a legal reason for not disclosing the amount. Coun Mudd said: "I am not opposed to giving money, but I am opposed to giving blank cheques."

Council officer Martin Van Zeller said although Lord Richard Rogers had originally been expected to chair the panel, he was now doing work for London's mayor Ken Livingstone. But he added Lord Rogers would be involved in the project through his role as chairman of the Government's Urban Task Force.

He said another expert on the panel, Anne Powers, would receive about £1,000 as well as expenses.

Coun Mudd asked Coun Cooke why he thought Bradford was more important than Keighley and other outlying areas - and accused Bradford of behaving like a "city council".

He said: "We have seen many of these things before. We have researched numerous things about the city centre.

"How do we know anything is going to happen?"

Councillor Cooke said the 2020 Vision - a blueprint taking the district into the 21st century - showed the redevelopment of the city would have a huge and positive impact on the district as a whole.

He denied the Council leadership was ignoring the needs of other areas.