A councillor has defended proposed improvements to a paddling pool on the edge of Ilkley Moor.

Councillor Kathy Best, an independent parish councillor who has campaigned for upgrades to the pool, hit back after safety concerns were raised by fellow parish councillor Heathcliffe Bowen.

Coun Best said it would be possible to coat the base of the paddling pool with non-slip paint as an additional safety measure to help disabled access.

She said: “I wish to make sure the paddling pool is enjoyed in safety by families with children, residents and visitors.”

The Friends of Ilkley Moor (FOIM) have been granted £50,000 by the Pennines Watershed Landscapes Project to improve the paddling pool and lower and upper tarns on Ilkley Moor. Work on the pool, costing around £10,000, would include installing a new inlet to improve water flow and painting the base a lighter colour to discourage algae growth.

But Coun Bowen, vice chairman of Ilkley Parish Council, has said he is doubtful the pool would ever be safe for children to play in.