Angry response to cuts proposals

A petition of 1,458 names has been handed in to the council opposing plans to axe Central Park toilets to save around £30,000 a year.

Public toilets outside the Bronte Parsonage Museum would remain open.

The campaign has been backed by former Look North presenter Christa Ackroyd and local councillors including Glen Miller.

Councillor Miller said: “This is a very well supported community campaign and these toilets are well used.”

It is one of 12 petitions to be considered by the council’s Executive committee next Tuesday.

The others are opposing cuts to children’s centres in Baildon, Ilkley, Silsden and Menston and Burley. A petition against the proposed closure of public toilets in Baildon has also been handed in.

And a 3,000-name petition has been handed in against youth service cuts across the city.

A full council meeting, which will set the budget, will be held on Thursday, February 20.

Council leader David Green said: “All the feedback from the consultation will be carefully considered before the Executive presents its final budget proposals for 2014-16 to full council.

“These are some of the toughest decisions the council has ever had to make and we welcome such a good response to the consultation. We also have a legal duty to consider whether these decisions have a disproportionate impact on specific groups.

“These are just some of the factors we will be taking into account over the next few weeks as we finalise the budget proposals.”

The council has also received a lot of feedback on proposed cuts to Ilkley’s Manor House Museum which is facing an uncertain future unless a community management scheme can be established. Supporters fear it could be forced to close.

Yesterday the council said that even if all the budget proposals are accepted it will face a shortfall of £1m in 2014-2015 and £15m the year after.

Councillor Green added: “The financial outlook remains bleak with another £115 million cuts to come on top of the £100m we’ve already had to make.”

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