Cononley Parish Council faces a crisis if more people do not come forward as members.

Seven seats were due to be contested at next month's elections, but only two of the existing councillors have put their names forward, along with one other nomination.

Three is the minimum number of councillors needed for the body continue.

They have only 35 days from the start of the new session, May 5, to find four new members otherwise the district council could step in and take "appropriate action".

Colin Iveson, Craven District Council's democratic services manager, said this wasn't an unusual situation but the parish council now needed to act quickly to ensure the spaces are filled.

"They need to advertise in the village asking people to apply to be considered for co-option. Those three councillors will make the decision whom to co-opt," he said.

"If that doesn't happen than they will have to notify us and we will have to consider what appropriate action to take. The district council has the power to appoint people if it affects the running of the council."

He said it was "regrettable" that there had been a lack of interest in the parish council elections district-wide.

Existing councillors Alan Wade and Denis Colman along with Ernest Hollings will form the new council, which will hold its first meeting on May 6 at 7pm in the Village Institute.

They are hoping they will be able to co-opt other councillors at this meeting.

Clerk David Gulliver told the Herald that a combination of circumstances had led to this situation, with councillors feeling they had served their time, had new commitments or feeling disillusioned with the progress of certain issues.

He said: "In some situations, like with our chairman, who has been involved with the parish council as both a chairman, a councillor and previously the clerk for over 20 years, councillors felt it was simply the right time to retire. Another person had got a new job, which involved a lot of commuting and really didn't have the time.

"Sometimes parish councillors will have put a lot of effort in and feel they are not influencing things because the people who hold the purse strings, like the county council, have their own agendas."

Mr Gulliver said that the council was looking for people who represented the different sectors of the village. Ideally they would be of different ages and would want to be involved with a wide range of local issues.

"There is so much that a parish council can do now, so many initiatives from county council and Government, so many grants around. My feeling is that the community simply misses out if people are unable or unwilling to give the time to these sort of things," he added.

"It is important we get people coming forward otherwise we don't have that kind of voice and in the longer term the lack of enthusiasm will begin to tell on other things that happen in the village, like the Institute and the playing fields, which belong to the parish council."

Retiring chairman Malcolm Wiseman told the Herald that after 27 years it was time to step down from the council.

"Recently we had a village survey and there were some comments that the parish council should be more representative," he said. "Now there is an opportunity for people to make that happen."

He added that he had enjoyed his time on the council, and hoped other people would gain the same satisfaction as he had.

Anyone interested in becoming a Cononley parish councillor should contact Mr Gulliver on 01535 637962.