Exclusive: The regeneration millions that bypassed Bradford’s economy

Investigations into the city’s troubled regeneration programme show that only a tiny fraction of money spent on consultants for four key projects has been awarded to firms from Bradford.

Figures obtained by the Yorkshire Post show that more than £3.8m of taxpayers’ cash was paid out for advice and services relating to plans to redevelop an old cinema site, build a shopping centre, create an urban village and a city park in the heart of Bradford.

However, just £244,162 of this money was spent within the Bradford district. The figure amounts to less than six per cent of the overall total spent on consultants.

It contrasts with £1.14m spent on firms in neighbouring Leeds and almost £2m given to London-based companies. Despite £3.8m being spent on consultants alone, construction work has only started on one of these projects – the city park which is set to open next year.

Most of the spending was commissioned by Bradford Centre Regeneration (BCR) – a private company set up by Bradford Council to encourage growth and investment into the city.

However, figures provided by Bradford Council show the vast majority of its consultancy spending actually resulted in money leaving the district, with critics asking what the city has got to show for it.

The tiny percentage of money spent on local businesses comes despite Bradford Council’s own regulations stating that officers should consider “maximising employment, training and training opportunities within the district” when awarding contracts.

The money which did go to firms in the Bradford district included small-scale jobs such as a £9,800 contract to film demolition work at the City Park.

Bradford East MP David Ward said the figures showed that politicians in Bradford had “washed their hands” of responsibility for leading the city’s regeneration.

He said: “These figures go back to the bad old days when we allowed an unaccountable organisation to spend public money, but you have to remember that it was the government of the day that put us on this route as they were so keen on establishing these urban regeneration companies.”

Bradford Council’s assistant director of economic development, Mike Cowlam, said the tendering for the majority of the consultancy spending was done using panels set up by Yorkshire Forward of pre-approved firms. He said this allowed contracts to be awarded more quickly and cheaply than re-advertising every single job.

He also said that in some cases the experience and skills needed would not have been available in the Bradford district. Mr Cowlam said some contracts required expertise in economic development or were suitable for national firms.

“It is not just a case of saying ‘let’s award this contract to a firm down the road in Bradford’,” he said. “We also have to offer the same opportunity to a firm down the road in Barcelona or Milan.”

Earlier this year the Yorkshire Post revealed consultants working on city-centre regeneration projects had cost the taxpayer £10.6m despite no building work having taken place in the majority of key schemes. This figure has since risen by another £200,000.

• More details and background in Saturday’s Yorkshire Post, with enlarged free magazine