Campaigners are celebrating after a parish council for Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury got the go-ahead.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott's Department of the Environment has approved the plan.

It now requires a rubber-stamping order to go before parliament.

Elections to the new parish council are likely to be held at the same time as the district elections next May.

Smith Midgley of Haworth Combined Residents' Action Group, which fought to have the parish council set up, said he was delighted.

He said: "All that flogging around the area last summer to get support has paid off.''

The new council would probably have up to eight councillors.

Mr Midgley, a former Bradford councillor and Lord Mayor, said: "I'll be seeking election - I must do after all that donkey work I put in."

He said traffic and tourism issues would be a major concern of the new council.

Bradford Council leader Councillor Ian Greenwood said the authority had been invited to comment on the issue to the Department of the Environment and added: "Bradford Council fully supported the application and I am delighted it has been approved."

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