A permanent “community campfire” should be built in Baildon’s Ferniehurst Dell and paid for by Baildon Town Council in a bid to rid the beauty spot of “pyrovandals”, says a councillor.

Lib Dem town councillor Ian Lyons says he wants to fight fire with fire and has prepared a lengthy, detailed argument to support the idea that £3,000 would be well spent in constructing a firepit which could be safely used by those who currently torch wheelie bins in the Dell.

Coun Lyons prepared the proposal for discussion at Monday’s full meeting of Baildon town council in his role as a lead member of the Ferniehurst Dell Partnership.

The FDP is behind an ambitious plan to create a military-themed sculpture walk in the Dell which has already obtained £85,000 in funding from the Ministry of Defence.

In his essay, Coun Lyons writes:“Baildon Town Council should pay for the creation of a community campfire.

“It stands more than a good chance of tackling a longstanding social problem and it should be located in the Ferniehurst Dell, where the problem occurs, where young people can use it and additional funding can be attracted.

“This is a bold and imaginative solution to what has, so far, proved to be an intractable problem. It is time to fight fire with fire,” he suggests.

Getting into the detail, Coun Lyons goes on to explain: “In this case, a fire ring would be a small stone and fired brick enclosure, purpose-built to surround and contain the fire, preventing it spreading.

“It would be located where emergency services can gain access, away from the main canopy, and to be most effective it would be built where young people already choose to meet and spend their time.

“Baildon Town Council cannot afford to ignore the anti-social arson in the Ferniehurst Dell.

“Unless action is taken, irresponsible fires will continue, and it could end in disaster.”

At Monday’s full council, it was agreed to earmark £3,000 to be spent on Ferniehurst Dell, which may well include the firepit.

“It was not specific funding for the campfire. It is down to be approved as a general donation to Ferniehurst Dell, which is not a town council project.

“And as far as I’m concerned the campfire will be going ahead,” Coun Lyons said.

“If people have question or concerns about it they can contact me via the website ferniehurst.wordpress.com” he added.

Chairman of Baildon town council Chris Flecknoe said although the money had been provisionally allocated, there was still some work to do.

West Yorkshire Fire Service Senior Fire Protection Inspector Mohammed Azam said: “If the fire pit were to go ahead the Regulatory Reform (fire safety) Order 2005 would apply. This would require a ‘a responsible person’ to be identified and designated for the area.”