A Bingley business leader fears for the future of the town’s outdoor market after Bradford Council told traders to put up their own stalls in a bid to save the taxpayer £25,000.

Bradford Council is proposing to withdraw services its staff have previously provided to put up and take down stalls at the market, which is held three days a week in Market Square.

The proposed move, which will mean small traders having to buy stalls and put them up themselves, is highlighted in the Council’s Executive budget as part of a raft of measures to save £31m in 2012/13.

However, the Council’s own report points out the “potential impact on market traders”, which “could result in an increase in vacancies and therefore, the quality of the market for shoppers”.

Howard Martin, president of Bingley Chamber of Trade, said withdrawing the service would have a “large and detrimental effect” on the already struggling market.

Traders have suffered from a loss of footfall since the closure of the former Bradford & Bingley headquarters in Main Street, a trend which may be reversed when Sainsbury’s opens on the site.

However, in the meantime, traders needed the Council’s help to create a vibrant town centre, he said.

Mr Martin said: “The market was a big positive step forward for Bingley but, as with other markets, it is finding it harder to cope.

“We are obviously hopeful that Sainsbury’s will bring additional people into the town but, for what I would consider to be a relatively small amount of money, I think the Council’s move will have a large and detrimental effect on the market.”

Also included in the budget proposals are plans to employ a new Bingley town centre manager – but only part-time – to save £22,000.

Bingley has been without a town centre manager since David Dinsey stepped down from the post in May last year.

Mr Martin said he had written to the Council seeking “clarification” on whether Shipley and Keighley would keep their full-time town centre managers.

He said the loss of a full-time town centre manager in Bingley and a proposed cut to free car parking would make it the “poor relation” of other areas of Bradford district.

“It seems like Bingley is being made to suffer more than other town centres in the area,” he said.

Bingley Conservative Councillor, David Heseltine said: “Yet again these proposals excessively penalise towns and villages in the Aire Valley.

“The vibrancy of the whole district does depend on these areas and they need to be treated fairly.

“Making it more difficult for people to trade in Bingley is going to affect the vibrancy of the market. It is counter-productive.

“With more on-street car parking charges, this will mean a double whammy for Bingley’s economy.”