REELING under accusations of 'stubbornness', Ilkley Parish Council has hit back at those who have condemned its stance over the Neighbourhood Forum scheme.

Councillor Alec Henderson (Con, Ben Rhydding) has said calls for the parish council to 'embrace' the Forum are somewhat out of date.

He said: "I would remind Councillor Gundry that when the Area Panel Initiative was introduced in 1990 the parish council, while not wholly in favour of yet another tier of bureaucracy, supported the idea of more consultation with the public. Since that date the parish council has held probably more open meetings than any other Neighbourhood Forum in the area."

In last week's Gazette, district councillor Hazel Gundry (Shipley West), who chairs the Shipley Area Panel, condemned the parish council for being so stubborn on the issue.

But Coun Henderson said: "Since 1990, 45 minutes has been allowed before every F&GP (held every two months) at which the general public can raise issues. These open meetings have all been well advertised in the press. I would remind Coun Gundry and other Bradford councillors that the parish council, an elected body,has a paid parish clerk resident in the town hall 20 hours, at least, a week, whose job is to deal with all issues concerning the parish."

Councillors claim experience has proved that the public will not always attend open meetings if they can come into the town hall during the day where there is the presence of the parish clerk and, more often than not, the chairman or vice chairman of the parish council.

He said Ilkley had three councillors per ward (21 for this parish) who were unpaid volunteers on call when needed.

He added that the parish council is represented on many organisations within the parish, including school governing bodies.

"We also hold the statutory annual parish meeting every March, either in Burley-in-Wharfedale, Menston or Ilkley and indeed, where specific issues are of concern, have held special meetings. I refer to the Yorkshire Water meetings, Grove Hospital land meetings, traffic calming on the A65 meeting, to name but a few," said Coun Henderson.

"I would also point out to Coun Gundry that the area co-ordinators inform the parish council on all grants available as well as other issues of consultation. In a similar way the various departments of Bradford consult with the parish council on a very regular basis and we have always had good working relationships," he said.

l The next open meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 17, at the Clarke Foley Centre, Cunliffe Road (Jack Lofthouse annex), at 7.30pm. Items for discussion include the Darwin Gardens millennium project. There will also be feedback on issues raised at the previous open meeting.

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