There's a great deal of work going on behind the scenes in staking a claim to Keighley's right to be a dynamic force in the future of the district.

A number of major projects which will change the face of Keighley are in the pipeline, with some due to come on stream in the near future.

But this week Keighley MP Ann Cryer raises valid questions and concerns about what she sees as developments going on in piecemeal fashion without any real co-ordination or long term strategic planning.

She goes to the extent of saying there is no identifiable vision for the future of Keighley and without one, there can never be a blueprint for development that will benefit the town as a whole.

One of the reasons this newspaper supported the bid for a town council was to provide a voice and rallying point for the growing town. We said then that the council chamber could once again become the focal point of the town, where elected representatives from all levels could take part in healthy debates, making long term plans, and hopefully becoming the lead body in championing the future of the town.

Strategies are being drawn up for the future by a number of bodies and partnerships with realistic and achievable targets being set.

But, if Mrs Cryer is right, there is a real danger Keighley could lose in the long term, due to the piecemeal approach. She says it is not a time for consultants as we know ourselves what the issues are. Her view is that it is time for political leadership at local level.

As Keighley moves forward into an exciting new era-- and there's good reason to believe it will be at the cutting edge -- it is vital that all concerned sing from the same song sheet.

A picture of the future needs to be issued so that those holding key pieces of the jigsaw have a clear guide to follow.