BINGLEY Town Council is bidding to get community asset status for three sites in the town – two of which are recommended for approval.

Myrtle Park, Bingley Swimming Pool and Bingley Town Hall have all been put forward by the Town Council, with the first two sites recommended to be listed, but the third not.

A report, to be discussed by Shipley Area Committee on Wednesday, says the town hall is not listed because it is used by Bradford Council for offices which makes it an operational building that has been used for this purpose for the last 50 years.

But Myrtle Park and the pool have been in community use for many years, according to the report, which qualifies them to be recommended.

The recommendations have been made under the Localism Act 2011, which allows communities the time to prepare bids for land and property assessed as being of benefit to the community when those assets come up for disposal.

Local community groups and parish councils are able to nominate privately and publicly-owned land and property for inclusion on a list of assets of community value.

If listed as an asset of community value, owners cannot sell their property without first letting the Council know of their intention to sell. This notification to sell would then trigger a six-week period when local community groups and parish councils can express an interest in bidding for the property.

The list is maintained by Bradford Council, which is also responsible for managing the process for deciding whether a nomination of a property as an asset of community value is successful.

Bradford Council confirmed plans to close the town’s swimming pool in November last year, along with sites at Richard Dunn, in Odsal, and Queensbury.

Ros Dawson, chairman of Bingley Town Council, said: “In the current climate of cuts in public services and spending, Bingley Town Council wants to try to give some protection to our community’s assets.

“Bradford Council has previously indicated that it plans to shut Bingley swimming pool and sell off the town hall.

“The Friends of Bingley Pool are working hard to find a way to keep the pool open and if it is registered as an asset of community value it could not be put up for sale without the community being informed and given the opportunity to put forward a bid.

“The same would apply to the town hall and the park that surrounds it.”

Meanwhile, a number of sites in Jenny Lane, Baildon – the wooded area, the playground, rugby ground south and rugby ground north – have also been recommended for approval to become assets of community value.

They will also be discussed at the same area committee meeting.

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