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Ilkley residents and businesses could suffer under planned council cuts


Ilkley’s household waste recycling centre will close and residents will be charge for parking permits as Bradford Council considers spending cuts could reach £40 million in the next three years.

 

Bradford Council’s Executive Committee will meet next week discuss the proposals which also include a 50% increase in the hourly charge at Ilkley’s South Hawkesworth Street car park.

 

The proposals would see the loss of over 100 jobs across the Bradford district, a cut in funding to libraries and leisure services, an increase in council tax by around 5% and increase in fees and charges across the council.

 

A £1 per hour district wide car park charge is planned, but the hourly charge in high demand car parks will increase from £1 to £1.50 per hour which includes South Hawksworth Street in Ilkley, plus an extension to charging hours until 22.00, effectively replaces the 18:00 evening charge.

 

The proposals plan to introduce a charge for resident and visitor permits, with a charge of £35 per permit proposed, and to increase the cost of a business and worker permit to £250 per annum.

 

Along with Golden Butts, the proposals would see the closure of household waste centres in Ford Hill in Queensbury and Sugden End in Cross Roads. Keighley.

 

A Council run children’s outdoor activity centre, Ingleborough Hall in North Yorkshire, is likely to be sold.

 

Councils have to legally balance their budgets at the end of each financial year, and a report into finances in December said Bradford Council is unlikely to achieve this. The budget gap for the current financial year was £73m and the predicted gap for next year will be £103m.

 

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council, said:  "No council should be having to choose between funding services for communities and neighbourhoods, and funding services for vulnerable children and adults, but that is the situation we find ourselves in. 

 

"The demand for, and cost of, providing residential placements and home to school transport is unsustainable for many councils on top of the effects of inflation and reductions in central government funding since 2011.  

 

"I am asking government to fix the dysfunctional children's social care market and fund local services effectively so that we can continue building a future that enables everyone in the Bradford district to make the best of opportunities available to them here.” 

 

The proposals will be discussed at an Executive meeting on Thursday, 11 January, further information is available on the Bradford Council website.  Following the meeting the public consultation on the proposals will begin. 

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