Wilsden Village Society History

The 1990s 3

In 1998 the question of a parish council was briefly considered again but Martin reported that the Chief Executive of Bradford Council had said that they were not going to promote any parish councils.

The village hall faced a problem that year when the Bradford Community Grants Committee decided to withdraw funding. The village society agreed to support the management committee in all its funding efforts. After a public meeting there were not enough volunteers to form an actual fund-raising group but there was support for a fund raising gala and various other one-off events. The number at the meeting and individual protests to the council and in the local paper showed what an integral part of village life the hall had become.

Mrs Emily Hall died in July 1998. She had been a great supporter of WVS from the start and had served as its chairman and president. She represented Wilsden on Bingley UDC and was the last chairman of that body. She was a councillor for Bingley Rural ward on the new Bradford Metropolitan District Council, and served as an Assistant Lord Mayor. The society consulted Mrs Hall’s family about a suitable memorial and commissioned a stone plaque to be placed in the village hall close to the one marking the opening of the building. There were donations towards this from individuals and from Wilsden Conservative Association ladies. Mrs Hall was a staunch Conservative, but in her work as councillor, the interests of Wilsden and the needs of Wilsden people took precedence over any other consideration.

The society’s routine work saw them concerned with a wide range of planning applications, sometimes asking for small modifications or guarantees. They opposed some plans for large developments but some of these were turned down by the council without the need for a major campaign of the sort the society had undertaken in the past. Matters relating to policing came up regularly during this period, some concerning traffic and road safety, some showing concern about crime levels, vandalism and general anti-social behaviour, particularly around the co-op and in the park. There was anxiety about alcohol and drug abuse. In 1999 Inspector Drucquer, the senior officer at Bingley, issued a statement:

‘It is the policy of West Yorkshire Police not to encourage their officers to attend meetings of non-statutory bodies. This means that whilst I would be happy to attend a Neighbourhood Forum or Parish Council, it would not be in line with policy to attend meetings of a lesser organisation. This is not to detract in any way from the work of Wilsden Village Society, which I am sure is concerned about the community which it serves. If the society wishes to hold a discussion about policing matters I will be pleased to receive a report of that discussion and am prepared to meet a nominated representative (usually the chair or vice-chair) to consider the report. I am sure you will understand that, in addition to my duties as Senior Officer at Bingley, I am also a patrolling officer. If I were to devote time to visiting all the non-statutory bodies in the Bingley district, I should have little time for the proper conduct of my office.’

Society members already attended the infrequent Neighbourhood Forum meetings and sent two representatives to a Crime and Disorder Strategy Consultation. Ken Pitchers regularly attended the Airedale Police Community Forum. Eventually they must have impressed the inspector with the seriousness of their submissions and a real need for action. At the AGM in June the chairman was able to report that Inspector Drucquer had been in the village and planned to increase the visible police presence. This would include radar speed cameras and action about the drug problem. In September the inspector actually attended a meeting of the society to answer questions. He assured the meeting that drug use was no worse than in any other village and that much of the petty crime was down to a small group of youngsters. Parents had been contacted and the problem much reduced. The inspector said he wanted to serve the people of Wilsden and provided a contact number. Subsequently there has been a good relationship with the police, continued through the various changes in personnel and systems. This must be regarded as an achievement by the society for the benefit of the village. Although a non-statutory body, its reputation and responsible way of working had once again proved of value.