There's something quite sinister and threatening about the tone of a letter from Bradford Council's planning office to Silsden Town Council.

The Town Councillors have taken the view that they are wrongly being blamed for the loss of ten jobs coming to the town. The Town Council had lodged objections to a plan on the Belton Road road site, which is earmarked for employment.

By exercising this democratic right it appears they delayed a decision on a plan with the result that the interested company opted out of building in Silsden and will instead base itself at Cross Hills, with the resulting loss of jobs.

If it is a case of the town councillors needlessly banging the same drum time after time whenever an application for the site comes forward then that is not helpful, especially if those objections have been fully investigated and ruled out. According to one leading councillor, Paul Bromley, they objected in good faith. Another, Councillor Chris Atkinson, told a meeting that just because they raise the four issues time and time again it doesn't mean they shouldn't be heard.

So have their concerns been carefully considered? According to Colin Waggett of Keighley's Development Services at Bradford Council they have been, as he describes the four objections as not being 'sound'.

Mr Waggett may well be right.

There is a tremendous surge of interest and determination at the moment to make sure Airedale stakes a claim in the future prosperity of the area, which includes attracting new companies and jobs.

But to make veiled threats to a Town Council of taking delegated decisions on the Belton Road site unless they have new and sound reasons is not helpful. It smacks of a frustrated parent chastising a child and leaving the issue unresolved.