Bradford's promotion of Ilkley as part of its Capital of Culture bid has been called into question.

Members of the Ilkley Tourism and Town Manage-ment Committee raised the issue during a debate about White Wells on Tuesday night.

The gents' toilets at the spa site have been unusable for months after underground water pipes burst, flooding the facility.

Previous tourism meetings had also raised concerns over the general condition of the 18th century bathhouse which, perched on Ilkley Moor, is for many an emblem of the town.

Former committee member Frazer Irwin said: "White Wells itself is falling apart and I have never seen the buildings look so bad.

"We have been asking Bradford Council to take action for years, until we're blue in the face, and now we must do something about it - if it wasn't for the Wells we wouldn't have Ilkley as we see it today, but people forget that and all I'm hearing around the town at the moment is apathy."

Chairman councillor Mike Gibbons agreed urgent action was essential, and said he had stressed to Bradford Council Environment chief Anne Hawkesworth 'just how bad it is'.

The chairman of Ilkley Business Forum, Bob Alcantarilla, asked why the buildings had been allowed to fall into a poor state of repair.

He said: "Is White Wells not meant to be one of the lynchpins of Bradford's bid to become European Capital of Culture?"

Ilkley Civic Society treasurer Denise Shillitoe agreed: "It is a listed building, so they do have a responsibility to keep it up."

Coun Gibbons responded: "I think that's a very valid point. In the 21 years I've been in Ilkley Bradford has continually regarded us as a 'jewel in their crown' while letting prime sites like this deteriorate year on year.

"White Wells is a matter of great, great concern to us. We are in the process of trying to find out what Bradford's long-term intentions are and we really need to make progress quickly because everyone realises they are in an appalling state."

Mr Irwin said that he had recorded more than 100 walkers popping into White Wells, which also runs a caf, last week.

"That number can only rise in the summer and these people should be able to see the property as it should be, and be able to use decent facilities" he said after the meeting.

Bradford Council is weighing up a number of options on the future of White Wells, one of which would see it given over to Ilkley Parish Council to manage.

Coun Gibbons said that was a 'useful' possibility.

"I think we could probably administer its welfare better than anyone can from a distance," he said."