When asked about Birch’s comments, Reform leader of the council Stephen Place said: “She is entitled to her opinion, and, as a woman, if she doesn’t feel safe she has every right to express that feeling.”
Place added that the general perception about Bradford was “very negative” and “doesn’t do anyone any good at all”.
The newly launched Bradford City Centre Action Partnership aimed to bring people back into the city centre, to spend their time and money and to have some “civic pride”, he explained.
“We are working together to deal with anti-social behaviour, drug dealing and illegal car parking,” he added.
Bradford Council said it hoped to roll out a similar partnership to other areas of the district such as Keighley, Shipley and Wyke in due course.
