A leading Labour councillor has hit back in a fierce political row over plans to bolster West Yorkshire's annual policing budget.

The increase, which Chief Constable Graham Moore argues is vital to carry out necessary improvements, would leave Council tax payers forking out an extra 6p a week on their bills.

He insists the extra £1.68 million is vital to fund more high-visibility policing, install CCTV in its custody areas and carry out vital repair work to the force training centre.

But the recommendation to implement the budget was blocked by Labour councillors and the decision was deferred until Friday.

Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors accused Labour members of holding the authority to ransom.

But Bradford Councillor John Ruding (Lab, Tong), who has just joined the authority after replacing Councillor Gill Whitfield (Lab, Clayton), remained defiant today about his stance.

He said Labour councillors had simply voted in line with the authority's treasurer, Martin Pullan, who contradicted the Chief Constable by saying he could not recommend exceeding the Govern-ment's guideline.

"We didn't think it was right to ask the Council tax payers to stump up a whopping 9.5 per cent rise," said Coun Ruding.

"The treasurer recommended 4.5 per cent which is already two per cent above inflation and which he believes would provide sufficient funding for the coming year.

"We believe it is a handsome amount and more than adequate."

All six Labour councillors on the authority voted against Mr Moore's plea for a budget five per cent above the Government guideline, which already allows for a 4.5 per cent increase.

The three remaining councillors - two Conservative and one Liberal Democrat - were in favour, as were the authority's five independent members and three magistrate members. To be approved the budget must win the support of nine members, of whom at least five must be councillors.

The authority must set a budget by February 29 or its members could face being surcharged.

Bradford Councillor Clive Richardson (Con, Thornton), one of two Tory councillors on the authority, said he believed a compromise would be reached on Friday.

"If it's not made then, then we are in a real crisis," he said.

Meanwhile, Bradford Council leader Ian Greenwood has pledged to raise education standards across the district by 2002 when the Council sets its budget next week.

Coun Greenwood says that an unprecedented shifting of resources will enable the authority to release an extra £5 million for Bradford pupils in the next financial year. The three-year financial strategy is due to be ratified at a meeting of Bradford Council on Wednesday, March 1.

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