Menston residents have taken the first step towards creating a parish council after voting to go to consultation.

A hundred residents took part in a vote to decide the future of the village at the Menston Community Forum meeting and 90 people voted in favour of a parish council.

The vote gave the Association a representation of residents feelings on the issue and will help determine whether a full village consultation should be held at the end of July.

A spokesman for Menston Community Association said: "Residents voted on whether Menston Village should establish an independent parish Council and that Menston Community Association is empowered to take all necessary steps for the establishment of Menston Parish Council.

"These votes were taken together as one is dependant upon the other. There was an overwhelming vote in support of these propositions; with two against and eight abstentions and 90 in support."

The village will now have to wait for the Boundary Commission's report on ward boundaries to be published in July to see what its next move will be.

Councillor Chris Greaves expects a consultation will take place in Menston.

"We are waiting until the boundary committee report, it will be then that we should decide if we will consult. It is most likely that we will see a consultation," he said.

"Menston residents at the forum meeting thought it was a good idea and voted for the Community Association to address it.

"So they have now been given the green light to pursue it. It does not show more than a snap shot but it means that there is time for change.

"The important thing is that everyone makes their view known whether for or against and the right decision is made for the whole village.

"If residents do want a parish council then another report will go to the council on the results of the consultation and they will decide whether to recommend it to the Secretary of State. It could be as soon as 2004/5."

The move follows that of neighbouring village Burley's attempts to establish a parish council in the next two years.

Some residents fear that Menston will be out on a limb if Burley becomes a parish council. It is presently controlled by Ilkley Parish Council who set a precept and if it created its own then it could set its own precept and know that the money was being spent on its residents.

Others are concerned that there would not be enough people willing to volunteer as councillors and that the present system is adequate.

Coun Greaves added: "The argument against is that we have got Ilkley so why bother changing.

"The main case for Burley and Menston is that since 1974 there have been a lot of band changes and now Ilkley comes under Keighley and Menston and Burley under Shipley and as money is given to the different Area Panels they get muddled spending it differently.

"Now the precept has come along if each area has its own parish council the money will be used for the people who pay it.

"Menston and Burley have grown enormously and have a bigger community which could sustain the running of a parish council.

"The argument against is that there are 21 parish councillors for the whole of Ilkley, Burley and Menston, if they split more people would be needed.

"Ilkley would probably need 15 or 16 and Burley and Menston 10 to 12. Each council would have to find the people to volunteer. I am not saying they couldn't but I would like to find out if they could.

"My own view in the long term is that the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. There will be a planning curb, Ilkley has done a brilliant job for Burley and Menston over the years and I hope that doesn't get lost."

If Menston residents decided against a parish council the Menston Community Forum would remain but would reduce the village's power.