RESIDENTS have been left fuming about what they perceive is a lack of advance notice about a consultation session held by Bradford Council regarding the proposed closure of Ilkley Visitor Centre.

A steady stream of people visited a drop-in session held at Ilkley Town Hall on Monday afternoon as the local authority confirmed it has drafted proposals to make cutbacks this year and close the office altogether in the following year.

Budget proposals for Visitor Information Centres district-wide include a £19,000 cut from the service this year and a £172,000 cut in 2017/18, which the Council said would lead to centre closures.

But the consultation met with criticism from an Ilkley ward councillor and parish members, who claim residents have not been given enough time and opportunity to have their say. They argue the town needs to keep the Ilkley Town Hall-based tourist office, which serves the many visitors who arrive on weekends and during the summer, as well as for big events such as Ilkley Literature Festival.

Bradford Council came under fire for not giving sufficient advance notice to attend the drop-in consultation session, which ran between 3.30pm and 6.30pm on Monday.

"There was a steady stream of people writing very rude comments to Bradford Council, "said Ilkley Parish Council chairman, Cllr Brian Mann.

"We are in danger of losing the tourist information centre."

Parish council vice-chairman, Cllr Andrew Walbank, said officers present at the session could not answer all the questions being asked, and the consultation form did not present other options to closure.

Ward councillor, Anne Hawkesworth (Ind, Ilkley), said: "There was no info to indicate that Ilkley's VIC footfall is the second highest in the district. I did find it a trifle unfeeling that at a consultation meeting about closing Ilkley VIC, a pull-up stand in the centre of the chamber was 'Visit Bradford'.

"Residents were there because they care about, and for, Ilkley."

At Monday night's Ilkley Parish Council meeting, councillors highlighted the role of the VIC as a box office for the King's Hall theatre, plus churches and other venues organising concerts and similar events. The meeting heard there were often many visitors to the office on Saturdays, as daytrippers arrive in Ilkley.

Cllr Susan Curhtbertson said there had also been in influx of visitors in Ilkley since the Tour de France and Tour de Yorkshire cycle races.

Cllr Mann tentatively asked parish councillors if there would be support for taking over the service, but Cllr Mike Gibbons warned the parish council could not take on all services the local authority is pulling out of.

The parish council agreed to invite Bradford Council officers to give a talk to councillors ahead of their next meeting.

Members of the public can also have their say online on the proposed cuts, under the Executive Budget and Council Tax Proposals 2016-17 and 2017-18 section at the bradford.gov.uk website.