A WRANGLE between Ilkley Parish Council and Bradford Council over a strip of land at Peel Place in Menston rumbles on.

The land allows access to the Scout Hut and is owned by the Bradford authority.

The parish council has been paying rent to Bradford for the Scout Hut itself since 1974. However, it has been discovered that the hut is actually owned by the parish council itself.

Now members of Ilkley Finance and General Purposes Committee, which met on Monday, want the land - valued at £1,000 - to be given to them by Bradford in lieu of all the rent that has been paid.

Coun Mike Gibbons, parish council chairman, told the Gazette: "Bradford claim that the money paid in rent has been swallowed up in maintenance and administrative costs over the years. However, the scouts say that there has been no maintenance carried out at all." Coun Gibbons also questioned how Bradford could claim administrative costs for collecting rent that should not have been theirs in the first place.

Members agreed to pursue their request for the land to be handed over free of charge.

l The committee was divided on whether civilian volunteers should be supplied with hand speed guns to record passing vehicles.

Coun Gibbons said that the committee had lots of misgivings about safety if they were used by civilians and about them being used impartially.

However, it was claimed at the meeting that the views of the parish council were not those of the general public. It was stated that civilians were used elsewhere and why should Ilkley be any different.

Coun Gibbons told the Gazette: "The parish council has not closed the door on this. We are willing to listen further to the police.

l The committee was in broad agreement with using CCTV in the town centre.

"People felt more secure knowing that certain areas were being watched with a potential reduction in crime," said Coun Gibbons.

He said that traders in the town centre were also keen to see a reduction in shop crime.