Menston Community Associ-ation has thrown the future of local government into doubt by agreeing to push for its own parish council.

The Association (MCA) took the potentially historic decision, which means Ilkley Parish Council now faces losing both Menston and Burley-in-Wharfedale.

The move last week followed a meeting between an MCA working group and Burley Community Council (BCC) in which both sides agreed there was no possibility of forming a merged 'Burley and Menston' body.

BCC is already well advanced in its drive for a Burley-based level of local government, with formal public consultations on the issue due to take place this summer.

MCA committee member David Calverley said if Burley was successful a geographically isolated Menston would be left with little alternative but to create its own parish council.

He said: "If Burley goes separate we can only remain part of Ilkley if we are still contiguous with it, which depends on Burley Woodhead remaining part of it.

"But if Burley Woodhead wants to join with Burley's Parish Council then we would be forced to do something ourselves.

"We don't have to have a parish council, there are all sorts of possibilities to consider, but we have agreed to pursue the option for a parish council in Menston.

"That was the recommendation made to us last week and the committee voted in favour of it. It doesn't mean we are formally committed but we will continue to look at the situation."

A BCC petition calling for a parish body for Burley received the backing of 38 per cent of the village last year - nearly four times the quota legally needed for the process to advance.

Welcoming MCA's decision, BCC Chairman Bruce Speed said he believed it was consistent with a national trend towards devolving power.

"This is a few steps forward and we are quietly encouraged by it because it just seems to fit in with what we are doing and the way things are going generally," he

said.

"There have been one or two misleading reports about Burley and Menston linking up and about residents in Burley Woodhead wanting to stay with Ilkley.

"Both claims are inaccurate - a Burley Menston link-up has never been on the cards, and in Burley Woodhead more than half of the people actually came out in favour of a parish council in our petition. So there is a significant level of support there.

"We will continue to work closely with Menston because our experience in this process, of consulting widely and so on, should help them."

Ilkley Parish Council has been vociferous in its criticism of Burley's 'devolution' plans in the past and has repeatedly urged Menston to stay "within the fold".

But Chairman Councillor Mike Gibbons said the latest development did not worry him, even though it could have far-reaching consequences.

He said: "I don't think Ilkley Parish Council is 'in danger' from this but it could mean it will have to change.

"If, and it's a big if, the two options were taken up by Burley and Menston and the whole process was undertaken, and the Secretary of State agreed to it, then Ilkley would simply have a town council, with a mayor and so on, instead of a parish

council.

"We would still have quite a sizeable council in parish or town terms and, at the end of the day, we are not twisting anybody's arm - that's what democracy is about.

"So if that's the road the people, and I stress the people, not these un-elected bodies, decide to go down, it is down to them.

"I have to say there are an awful lot of people in Ilkley who think Ilkley may be better off with a town council, so it cuts both ways."