THE spiralling costs of a Bradford Council scheme designed to save money have been labelled a 'scandal' by an Ilkley parish councillor.

A £1.2 billion plan to put the running of buildings such as Ilkley's Manor House Museum, Town Hall, swimming pool and library has so far cost the district's tax payers just over £2 million.

More than three years ago the plan to bring in private companies to run the district's public buildings and sports centres was announced. It was seen as a way to bring in private finance to help with the upkeep of the authority's crumbling assets.

It was met with an immediate outcry in Ilkley where fears were raised that the buildings could be lost forever.

Despite protests, Bradford Council pressed ahead and the process of private company bidding for the 20-year project went ahead at a snail's pace.

It stopped altogether in June this year when it was announced that the local authority's director of asset management, Linda Carmichael had been suspended after accusations of skewing the bidding process in favour of the winning company, Wolverhampton-based Carillion.

An investigation into the accusations is still taking place and the project has been halted until it is completed. This week a document produced by the spending watchdog, The Audit Commission, revealed that the project had cost just over £2 million so far with half of the money going to consultants.

When the project was first announced, Keighley Town Council - which feared for the town's assets - co-ordinated an opposition group of town and parish councillors opposed to the project.

Ilkley parish councillor Brian Mann was one of those who attended group meetings at Keighley. He said he was very concerned about the cost of the project and the lack of information Bradford Council was releasing about it.

When told about the cost, Coun Mann said: "That is what we are concerned about. I hesitate to use the word scandal but there are two aspects in my opinion.

"One is the nature of the finances and the apparent closeness to the chest that Bradford are keeping all this. There is not a lot of information coming out. The issues are the magnitude of the money and the lack of management of our assets.

"It is something we are generally keeping an eye on. We had a meeting last night of councillors on the Constitutional Working Party. One of the concerns which was raised was asset management."

Coun Mann said he welcomed the Audit Commission's report and hoped that more information would be made public. "I am glad it is back on the table. I would be quite glad if it was brought out into the open," said Coun Mann.

Bradford North MP Terry Rooney also stepped into the row when the Audit Commission's figures were made public. He said: "We know the project is dead, with millions of tax payers' money wasted. Now we want a burial date."

Fears over the jobs and contracts for workers employed in public buildings have also led to opposition to the project from unions. Patrick Kerry, lead negotiator for City Hall union Unison, said he was concerned about the costs of consultants brought in to work on the project.

Next week Ilkley parish councillors will hold a liaison meeting with Bingley Rural Conservative Councillor Simon Cooke, who is in overall charge of the asset management project.