Residents have voted overwhelmingly in favour of forming a parish council for Haworth, Stanbury and Cross Roads.

Ballot results announced yesterday show 2,415 people in favour and just 186 against.

Voting papers and explanatory leaflets were sent out last month to all the 5,500-plus residents in the area eligible to take part. Forty-five per cent responded.

A detailed presentation of the results will be given at a neighbourhood forum meeting at Haworth First School, Butt Lane, at 7pm next Tuesday.

The results will be discussed by Bradford Council's community development committee on January 20 and its views will then be forwarded to Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, who in his role as Environment Secretary will have the final say.

Clifford Simmonds, secretary of Haworth Combined Residents' Action Group, which spearheaded the campaign, said he was delighted with the result.

He added: "It is brilliant news. I was a bit worried that there could be apathy among the voters, but this result shows the depth of feeling.

"The majority is much higher than I expected. It indicates people are not satisfied with what has happened in the past.''

Councillor Ralph Berry, chairman of the community development committee, said: "The Council consulted with every resident in the area. I welcome the large number of people who voted in the ballot. There's clearly a very high degree of support for establishing a parish council."

Councillor Irene Ellison-Wood, chairman of Keighley Area Panel, says: "This is another building block in the democratic process. It should lead to more people being involved in issues of interest and concern."

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