Bradford's closed-circuit television bosses are ready to reject any new cash to expand the district's security camera network - unless the cost of running the cameras is included.

The annual cost of handling its 190 cameras currently stands at £1.8 million - almost £10,000 per camera - and City Hall chiefs say they haven't the budget to monitor any more.

And this week councillors will be asked to refuse any cash grants which offer to pay for new cameras without any funding to help run them.

Bradford's Neighbourhood Renewal Fund and Regen 2000 schemes have paid for hundreds of thousands of pounds of CCTV equipment. Over the last two years the cash bought more than £650,000 worth of CCTV equipment.

But neither project provided the annual funding to help pay running costs such as staff wages and energy bills.

CCTV bosses are recommending no further investment in the network during 2006-07, and have instead recommended the authority concentrates on funding the £1.8million needed to run the present system.

If members support the policy, a system in Ilkley - the only town centre in the district with no CCTV coverage - is likely to remain unfunded.

Ilkley Parish Council has already heard calls for cameras in the town and estimates have put the costs at £250,000 for an eight camera system and an extra £40,000 a year to run it.

But Councillor Mike Gibbons, chairman of Ilkley Parish Council, said although there is some support for a system, he and other members aren't convinced: "As yet we have not reached any absolute conclusion as to the benefit of a major CCTV system.

"Our concerns are that it is extremely expensive way to police and its success is not totally proven.

"The whole cost of the system is colossal and I can understand that without sufficient funding, why the Council is holding back."

Members of Bradford Council's safer and stronger communities improvement committee will be asked to back the plan along with the setting up of a body which will set clear goals for the way the network develops.

The meeting takes place at 5pm on Wednesday in City Hall and is open to the public.