A BRADFORD councillor has resigned from the Liberal Democrat group following a bitter dispute.

Councillor Michael Stelling, former Liberal Democrat councillor for Bolton and Undercliffe, stepped down last week after tensions came to a head.

He says his relationship with the Liberal Democrats became “strained” following the national party’s treatment of former Bradford East MP David Ward.

Cllr Stelling (pictured) said he was also unhappy with how the group of ward councillors was functioning and that he felt “sidelined, ignored, manipulated and underdeveloped” on how to become a “good councillor” for the district. He says he was “frustrated” with the group.

Matters came to a head during a meeting with group leader Cllr Jeanette Sunderland.

It is understood that Cllr Stelling will continue as an independent.

Cllr Sunderland said the group has worked “very hard” with Cllr Stelling, but he had not been in the right place to deal with being a Liberal Democrat councillor “for some time”.