Paul Rogan, who is chairman of Brighouse Forward, a partnership of the town's organisations, wants the town to become part of Kirklees and is shortly to begin a campaign on the issue.

The Calderdale councillor says his view reflects a growing disillusionment with his council's stewardship of the town.

In particular, there has been anger over the handling of a key development project, Sugden's Mill, which ended in humiliating defeat for the council when an inspector refused to permit a compulsory purchase order.

Coun Rogan's immediate task will be to garner 5,000 signatures in favour of his proposals, to be followed by a referendum.

Coun Rogan, (Eng Dems, Rastrick), said: "If Berwick can be taken out of England and put into Scotland I don't see why Brighouse should not come under the Kirklees umbrella. We already have 01484 phone numbers and HD postcodes.

"Five thousand signatures from across the borough should not be a problem. I think we should be able to get those just in Brighouse."

A former retailer in the town for 35 years, George Simpson of Clifton, added: "Prior to our being 'pressganged' into metropolitan Calderdale, Brighouse was enjoying a long-awaited revival.

"The M62 with its junction 25 less than a mile from the town centre had just come on stream. Phase one of the town's east-west bypass was nearing completion and phase two was about to be started.

"Upon amalgamation, phase two of the bypass and a new swimming pool for which a site, funding and planning approval had already been secured were immediately scrapped.

"Today, over a third of a century later, these projects still await commencement.

"Is there any wonder there is a growing call for disassociation when to be ignored, sidelined and neglected has been the measure of Calderdale's stewardship of this industrious and prosperous little town that is, today, the engine room and acknowledged wealth generator for the whole of this metropolitan area?

"Hardly surprising, is it, that after some 34 years, April 1, 1974, has become dubbed within the town as being the longest April Fools day in history."

But Coun Joyce Cawthra, (Cons, Brighouse), said: "It's nonsense. Calderdale serves Brighouse well. Every area wants that bit extra and sometimes we win and sometimes we lose."

Council Cabinet member Craig Whittaker, (Cons, Rastrick), was even more scathing saying: "This is just ridiculous and pie-in-the-sky. Calderdale offers far better value for Brighouse than Kirklees could. The only person talking about it is Paul Rogan.

"What Paul should be doing is working for the people of Rastrick instead of coming up with these kind of absurd plans. The natural break between Calderdale and Kirklees is the motorway and that's flat."

Kirklees Council leader Robert Light said he was "flattered" that there was such talk in the town but said it was a matter for the Boundary Commission.