Keighley's massive Comm-unity Survey could be repeated in two years to discover how the town has improved.

A second survey would show whether regeneration projects are making a difference to Keighley's economy and self-image.

The first survey involved in-depth interviews with 454 people living in the most rundown areas of Keighley, as reported in the Keighley News in recent weeks. The results showed that most people were happy with their homes and town despite negative feelings about crime, employment and the local environment.

The survey was carried out for bosses of Keighley's Single Regeneration Budget (SRB), which is spending £18.7 million of government cash on impr-ovement work. The findings confirmed that the SRB aims - to create jobs, fight crime and offer education and training - are particularly relevant.

SRB boss Cllr Andy Mudd says the survey identified that community safety is particularly crucial. "There's clearly an issue relating to drugs," he says. "Unemployment and imp-roving the local environment, such as litter, are also crucial.

"We don't appear to have made a major difference yet, but on the whole the survey suggests we're doing the right thing. The emphasis is on trying to make Keighley a safer place, because that clearly is what people want us to do."

Cllr Mudd says the survey will give SRB organisers an important benchmark against which to check the success of improvement projects. He feels the survey complements recent Bradford council initiatives to discover whether cash spent on community projects is having a real effect on people's lives. He adds: "It's OK putting money into fighting crime, but unless people feel safer you might not be doing the right thing."

Cllr Mudd is pleased the survey showed most local people are satisfied about living in Keighley.

He says: "People are committed to Keighley and believe it has a future."

In that respect whether they know about us or not, they're supporting the regeneration process."

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