Campaigners are confident a parish council for Aireborough could be established by the year 2000 - despite the poor turn-out at a public meeting to discuss the issue.

The meeting, organised by Rawdon man Graham Latty at Yeadon Methodist Church, only attracted 14 residents.

And some of them believed the three areas that make up Aireborough - Rawdon, Yeadon and Guiseley - should have separate parish councils.

But Mr Latty, although disappointed at the poor attendance, said he had collected about a thousand signatures on a petition supporting an Aireborough Parish Council. He needs a further one thousand signatures before an application can be submitted to Leeds City Council which would then forward it for consideration by John Prescott, Secretary of State for the Environment and Transportation.

"If we succeed then elections would probably take place in the spring of 2000," he said.

He said that although there were three councillors representing Aireborough on Leeds City Council, there was still a need for a parish council which could have a good working relationship with the City Council.

"Otley Town Council has a good working relationship with the City Council and seems to get things done for the town because it is always on its back," he said.

Guiseley man Albert Glaister said he was firmly against a parish council.

He said that he felt Aireborough was well served by its three councillors.

He thought the costs of running such a council would rise each year.

He added: "You are calling the proposed parish council Aireborough but Aireborough is a district not a parish. I don't mind separate parish councils for Rawdon, Yeadon and Guiseley."

John Juckes, assistant secretary of the Yorkshire Local Councils' Associations, told the meeting a parish council could be almost any size.

Peter Harrand, a councillor for Roundhay and a parish councillor for Harewood, said he believed a parish council was necessary.

"A lot of houses are going to be built in the near future and Green Belt land could be used," he said.

And pensioner Geoffrey Eastwood, 68, of Yeadon, supported the move because he felt Aireborough had been neglected by Leeds City Council.

"We feel downtrodden in Yeadon," he said.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.