A Town (Parish) Meeting is to be held next week to discuss the rollout of 20 mph zones and calming measures across Ilkley.
Residents, including members of the Ilkley Road Safety Action Group (IRSAG), triggered the Town Meeting, referred to in legislation as a Parish Meeting, which will be held at the King’s Hall on Station Road at 7pm on Tuesday 3rd October.
A Parish Meeting is not a council meeting but a meeting of electors and an opportunity for electors to have their input into matters that affect Ilkley and Ben Rhydding.
Bradford Council last week submitted the legal order to implement the scheme, which will come into force on 3rd November 2023. The order, which includes the 58 calming locations and areas of the 20mph zones, is available to view here.
The results of a public consultation by Bradford Council revealed that 91 per cent of people opposed road humps and 52 per cent opposed the town-wide 20mph speed limit.
The plans have divided Ilkley Town Council, with seven councillors (made up of Labour, Liberal Democrat, Green and Independent members) supporting the plans and seven Conservative councillors asking for a more targeted approach.
Ilkley Town Council has pledged £87,500 towards the scheme, which Bradford Council expects to cost £187,500.
Any residents wishing to attend the meeting next Tuesday are asked to arrive from 6.15pm and to be aware that names will be checked against the electoral register to ensure only electors vote on any matters where a vote is required. Ilkley Town Council say would be helpful if you know which electoral ward you live in Ilkley Ward polling districts 2020 (bradford.gov.uk).
If you would like to know more about Town/Parish Meetings and Parish Polls please visit Ilkley Town Council website.
At the Town Meeting, 10 electors can call for a parish poll. Electors at the meeting would then vote on the wording of the poll, which would then be held between 14 and 25 days later and will take place between 4pm – 9pm in person – there would be no postal votes. The result of a poll is not binding on the Town Council.
Town mayor, Cllr Karl Milner, has said the cost of any poll could be more than £30,000, a parish poll in Keighley last year cost the Town Council £76,000.
Plans for the 20mph scheme are on display in the windows of the Clarke Foley Centre on Cunliffe Road.
An ordinary meeting of Ilkley Town Council will be held on Monday 2nd October as usual in the council chamber at Ilkley Town Hall.
