A WIDE ranging shake-up of ward boundaries could result in Otley being split up from Pool-in-Wharfedale and Bramhope.

It could also result in a whole new ward of Guiseley being created out of Aireborough.

Councillors are currently drawing up proposals for the boundary review - due to come into force in 2004.

And under proposals put forward by Leeds City Council's Labour group, it will mean villages currently part of Otley being made into a separate ward.

The proposals, if accepted by the Local Government Boundary Commission, will mean a new ward of Otley and Yeadon.

A new Guiseley ward will replace the existing Aireborough ward and another new ward - Cookridge and Wharfedale - will take in Pool, Arthington and Bramhope.

Meanwhile, the Conservative group is currently putting together its proposals and expects to have them finished by the end of July.

Councillor Clive Fox (Con, Otley and Wharfedale) said proposals to include Bramhope in a new Cookridge ward would be disastrous.

"There is no affinity between Cookridge and Bramhope and Pool, Labour have concentrated on the inner city."

Councillor Neil Taggart (Lab, Chapel Allerton), chairman of Labour's Boundary Review Group, said: "This process is crucial to ensuring local people have fair representation on the city council. Our aim is to create wards that are of equal size, where possible to have clear boundaries on the ground and to respect community boundaries. We believe that our proposals fit these criteria and represent a real opportunity to reunite areas that have been split between wards with the present boundaries.

"We are working with local councillors, opposition parties, council departments, the police and local groups to develop a scheme that truly represents local people across the city."