Campaigners for a new Keighley Town Council set out their stall at the weekend.

They set up a stall outside the market to let shoppers know about their efforts and drum up support.

The group, newly named Keighley Voice, needs public support in order to persuade the Government to allow elections.

Members chatted with about 150 people on Saturday in the town centre and recruited 20 volunteers to help deliver leaflets to houses.

Every household will be given leaflets which will later be collected in the hope they prove there is sufficient support among townspeople.

A town council would have similar powers to parish councils - including the right to set a rate to pay for extra local services - and could elect a Keighley mayor.

The body would probably cover urban Keighley, as well as outlying areas which are not covered by parish councils, such as Oakworth, Laycock, Utley, Riddlesden and East Morton.

The campaigners want to assess the level of support in each area for the town council idea before drawing up a definite boundary.

They will then apply to the Government for permission to hold elections and set up the council.

The efforts are being spearheaded by Keighley Voice, a steering group chaired by Keighley News editor Malcolm Hoddy and open to any local person.

Spokesman David Samuels says last weekend's stall went very well and the response from local people was very favourable.

"The main reason was to acclimatise people to the idea that there are people in the town who feel like they do, that we should have a Keighley voice rather than a Bradford voice," he says.

Another stall will be organised outside the market on Saturday, August 26, and the leaflet drop will be held afterwards.

Mr Samuels says the campaign will only be successful with support from local people. "It is possible a single town council could represent the whole of the area," he says. "The Government has indicated it will accept petitions from larger towns, but only with a strong indication of support from each community." Mr Samuels accepts that there may be neighbourhoods where the majority of people do not want to be part of a town council.

"The purpose of the consultation is to assess the level of feeling in all parts of the area before drawing up the boundaries," he says.

Anyone who wants to contact Keighley Voice should phone Mr Samuels on 01535 643393 or e-mail help@keighleyvoice.org.uk.

The web site is www.keighleyvoice.org.uk.