SENIOR councillors have demanded more information about an incident in which the authority’s stationery was used for a Worth Valley politician’s election campaign.

This year, letters were produced in the council’s Conservative office seeking support for Tory group leader Coun Glen Miller, who was standing for re-election in the Worth Valley.

Using council resources to affect public support for a political party is unlawful under the Local Government Act1986.

City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council’s governance and audit committee met on Friday to discuss what action the authority should take to prevent such actions in the future.

City assistant solicitor, Dermot Pearson, said the case involved 1,395 pages being printed – though the last run was aborted.

He also said that and an officer placed the pages inside of envelopes.

The meeting heard a formal investigation into Coun Miller’s conduct, but it has not yet published its conclusion.

But the chairman of the standards committee was minded to ask Coun Miller to apologise to the full council.

Coun Miller had already offered to pay back all the costs of the materials that were used, as well as making a donation to the Lord Mayor’s annual charity appeal.

The committee heard he had been billed £120 for materials.

But committee chairman Coun Lynne Smith said she understood the true cost to be more than £1,000, and asked for a breakdown of the invoice.

She said: “I could not, hand on heart, say I am satisfied with the information I have got about something I consider serious.”

The matter had been due to go before the next meeting of the full council, but Coun Smith asked for it to be deferred while more information was sought.

She added: “I am extremely mindful the individual concerned was bereaved only a matter of days ago. So in fairness to all concerned, a deferment to December would be perceived as reasonable.”

But outside the meeting, Coun Simon Cooke, deputy Conservative leader, reacted angrily. Coun Cooke said: “I am very angry and upset they have decided, especially at this time, to do do this.”