CONFUSION surrounds the selling of Bradford Council assets including an old library and unused offices in Silsden, which were due to be auctioned this month.

Auctioneers Pugh & Co had listed the derelict library in Wesley Place and an adjoining council office for sale, without guide prices, on April 19.

And despite assurances at the recent full council meeting the sales would go ahead on schedule, they were suddenly pulled from the auction lots last Thursday.

Ward councillor Andrew Mallinson said he is angry at the unexplained cancellation.

He added: "When I saw this had happened last Thursday I was furious – someone wants dragging over the coals.

"Just over week ago, at full council, I asked if the sales of the library and office were going ahead and it was to confirmed to me they would be sold in April.

"It was also said council officers were putting together all the legal packs ready for sale."

Cllr Mallinson wants the Silsden sales to go ahead as he views the vandalised library and office as drains on the taxpayers' purse.

But fellow Craven councillor, Adrian Naylor, said he had spoken to council officers, who had told him the delay was due to a failure to prepare the properties for sale.

He added: "I don't think it's a conspiracy – it was just that the legal packs would not be ready in time for April.

"There is still a desire to sell the properties off and they should go to the next auction in June, unless something changes in the meantime.

"They have to sell things to pay for the black hole that is the City Hall refurbishment."

The library building in Wesley Place fell vacant in 2013 when the library was moved to the ground floor of the newly-refurbished Silsden Town Hall.

Bradford Council now wants to hand over the current town hall library to the community, and a campaign to recruit volunteers moved forward this week.

Cllr Naylor, who is leading the project, discussed the way forward with libraries supremo Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe.

He said: “We’ve agreed I will go back to the people who showed an interest, ask for them to volunteer as trustees, and create a constituted body so Bradford can hold discussions with it."

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