THE concerns of disaffected Ilkley youngsters will be tackled by the town's very first full-time youth officer, the Gazette can exclusively reveal.

Ketan Gandhi, Bradford Council's youth services officer for the Keighley area, hopes to confirm the new role after a meeting with union chiefs early next month.

Mr Gandhi said the position would cover both Ilkley and Addingham and he felt it would be a positive step for establishing closer links with young people.

He also revealed plans for a rural youth work unit, taking in all the areas surrounding Bradford.

He said the new youth officer's role would initially be a temporary post but he hoped it would eventually become permanent.

The youth worker will be expected to build up and manage a team of volunteers and establish links with a variety of other agencies.

Mr Gandhi said: "I honestly believe there is enormous potential in Ilkley, as yet untapped potential."

He said it was vital to establish strong links with organisations such as The Warehouse Youth Club, the Youth and Community Association, schools and the police.

"We are not about delivering things on a plate to young people. We want to help young people to help themselves," he said.

He said examples could include helping young people to develop a creative music project, if that was what they wanted.

"We want to provide young people with access to a variety of information on a whole range of issues and activities," he said.

Mr Gandhi said the Ilkley skate park project was an excellent example of young people working hard to bring about the facilities they would like, it was this type of initiative the youth service was keen to support.

This development follows on from Mr Gandhi's attendance at an Ilkley Parish Council open forum meeting last year.

At that meeting he expressed his desire to improve provision for young people in Ilkley.

He was particularly keen to reach those youngsters who did not attend youth clubs and chose to gather on street corners.

The expected appointment has been welcomed by Ilkley Parish Council chairman Coun Kate Brown.

She said: "The news is very encouraging. Hopefully it will mean there will be someone to listen to and liaise with our young people."

Referring to Mr Gandhi's comments at the open forum meeting last year, she said: "It's nice to see someone following through on a promise."

Coun Brown said she was particularly pleased the emphasis would be on helping youngsters to help themselves. "I think they will gain far more satisfaction from that approach," she said.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.