CONSULTATION

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Title Page
The Report
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Appendix 3
Appendix 4
Appendix 5 (1)
Appendix 5 (2)
Appendix 6 (1)
Appendix 6 (2)
Appendix 6 (3)
Appendix 6 (4)
Appendix 7
Appendix 8
Appendix 9
Appendix 10
Appendix 11
Appendix 12

The aims of the consultation exercise were twofold: to gauge the level of public support for the project, and also to obtain the views and suggestions of as many people as possible, with regard to issues such as route, surface, environment etc. 

The consultation was carried out by Jeff McQuillan, a professional who was chosen for his expertise in this field, having previously conducted a similar exercise for the Great Northern Trail at Cullingworth. Funding was provided jointly by Bradford Metropolitan District Council and North Yorkshire County Council, with and additional contribution from the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. 

The process was carried out in two parts. Part One, focused on Addingham & Bolton Abbey, took place in June/July 2007, and consisted of a consultation leaflet with prepaid response slip distributed to every household. Additionally, a series of exhibitions were held, at which further details of the proposal could be studied. Response rates were encouraging; approximately 38% of the response forms were returned. 

Part Two, focused on Ilkley, was originally designed to take place as a purely exhibition-based consultation. A series of exhibitions were held during September 2007, at which the public were given the opportunity to make their responses. A further, unmanned exhibition remained open in Ilkley library during September and early October, with response forms available and a drop box for return of the completed responses.

Regrettably, on 18th October 2007, the drop box in Ilkley library was broken into and a large number of completed response forms stolen, in what appears to have been a calculated attempt to sabotage the consultation. The remaining responses, though valid, did not constitute a sufficiently large sample, so it proved necessary to extend the consultation period and to find alternative means by which to allow Ilkley residents to study and respond to the proposals.  A new leaflet and response form was produced, and a distribution company contracted to distribute to every household in Ilkley, Middleton and Ben Rhydding during January 2008. 

Further details of this, and the background to the consultation can be found in the report.

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