A BLISTERING attack has been launched on Ilkley Parish Council in the wake of the sell-off deal agreed for Ilkley College campus.

"The fact is that we have a totally inefficient parish council with individual political agendas which do not include looking after the interests of our town," said John Martinez, the chairman of Ilkley Labour Party.

He added: "They are prepared to do anything for Ilkley - short of actual action."

Mr Martinez accused parish councillors Barbara Cussons and Anne Hawkesworth, who is also an Ilkley District Councillor, of shedding 'crocodile' tears over the departure of the college-based Yorkshire Ballet Seminars to Ripon.

He said: "It is beyond belief that both Coun Cussons and Hawkesworth regret the departure of the Yorkshire Ballet Seminars from Ilkley. No doubt next May they will regret the departure of students from the Ilkley campus."

The parish councillors have strongly refuted the claims.

Mr Martinez said that Ilkley Labour Party had been fighting for five years to try and prevent the campus closure without effective support from the parish council.

He said: "We were told by the council that any attempts to try and save the college were a waste of time and that we had to accept it as a fait accompli."

Ilkley Labour Party spokesman Geoff Best supported his chairman's remarks.

He said: "We invited them (the parish council) to join us and they declined. Their position was that they thought it was a lost cause."

But Ilkley Parish Council chairman Alec Henderson defended the actions of members.

He said: "The parish council opposed the sell-off and were present at every college meeting.

"We have been in favour of the retention of further and adult education facilities and that's what the end result was."

Coun Henderson said that parish councillors had no powers to prevent the sell off and were limited to making representations to the college.

"He (Mr Martinez) forgets it was a commercial college - it was not something the parish council could influence - I don't think Mr Martinez could influence it," said Coun Henderson.

He accused Mr Martinez of taking any opportunity he could to attack Ilkley Parish Council.

Councillor Cussons said: "As usual Mr Martinez is making political points not constructive suggestions. He was notable by his absence from all debates on the issue.

"The parish council has tried every possible avenue to save the college and to make alternative education provision and we are proud of our record on this issue."

Councillor Hawkesworth said: "I have had private meetings with the college but the college had made up its mind that it was going to close down the Ilkley campus - there was literally nothing the Parish Council could do to stop it."

She added: "We on our part always said we would fight to keep adult education in Ilkley. Mr Martinez is banging party political drums when in reality the parish council tries to work for the good of the community."

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