LETTER: 'Referendum on 20mph would be waste of Ilkley taxpayers money'

AT the town council meeting on August 1st a local Conservative Councillor referred to the idea of calling a referendum on the 20mph proposals and now this idea is being taken up by Ilkley Road Safety Action Group. Any 10 electors can call a referendum at the parish meeting which is likely to be held in September but Ilkley Labour Party would urge caution. A similar poll in Keighley last year cost the council £77,000 and resulted in no change in Government or Council Policy. Under the legislation no postal votes are allowed. Only 16% of people voted in Keighley.

In theory referenda could be called by Ilkley residents on a wide variety of topics such as the proposed closure of the station ticket office or sewage in the River Wharfe. Given the cost and the fact that the vote would not be binding it would be clearly irresponsible to adopt such a course of action. This is also true when it comes to calling a poll regarding the proposals for 20mph particularly as we expect to hear Bradford’s response to the recent consultation in the near future.The mandate of the town council from the election in May 2023 with a turnout of over 50% will still stand after any referendum. Ironically when he was Local Government Minister in 2018 Rishi Sunak promised to tighten up the rules on calling parish polls. Unfortunately he got no nearer to fulfilling that promise than he has to stopping the boats.

It is also worth remembering that in September 2022 Conservative Councillors on the Town Council did not record votes against a motion agreeing a contract with Bradford Council for joint funding of the 20mph zone. In May 2023 they refused an offer from Labour to share the mayoralty for the next four years. On August 1st 2023 they voted against a motion discussed at Ilkley Town Council to ask Bradford Council to reduce the amount of traffic calming and further consult the town council. They are playing political games with taxpayers money which would be better used funding local groups. Ilkley people will not be fooled.