PARISH leaders in Addingham have taken the first steps in a bid to provide the village with its own independent grass cutting service.

Gordon Campbell, chairman of the parish council, said that members had identified the areas of the village which needed the grass cutting service and asked Bradford Council how much it spent on the job.

The figure officials came up with was between £700 and £750 a cut, which equates to around £9,100 and £9,750 per year, depending on the number of cuts the village receives.

This figure includes the use of three operatives and the machinery used.

Parish councillors then asked for an estimate from a local gardener for the same service and he came up with a cost of £619 a cut, plus VAT. The parish council, as a non-profit making organisation, can claim back the VAT.

Councillor Campbell said: "The gardener has a huge grass mower which picks up all the bits. I think we should look for other quotes too. The private lads in the village could do it cheaper than the council.

"If we are going to do it - it is a long-term commitment if Bradford will give us the money."

Councillor Alan Jerome said that initial figures quoted by local contractors might be underestimates. He said: "If they give us £9,750 --- because £619 a cut may prove to be insufficient and we must have some tolerance with the price -- then I think it would be worth taking it on."

Parish Council vice-chairman Michael Aldridge warned that members had to make sure if they took over one part of the service, Bradford Council did not withdraw from cutting other areas such as the bowling green, grass verges, the football field and roundabouts.

These larger areas are cut by a different council department and the parish council is happy with the service performance.

Parish Councillor Sheila Haigh said it was a huge undertaking being contemplated. "It is quite a radical step - we should err on the side of caution."

Craven District Councillor Andrew Mallinson (Con) was also at the meeting. He said that the problems the village had earlier this year with grass cutting were due to a massive shake-up of the whole district wide service.

"Grass cutting throughout the whole district has been neglected - things will improve," said Coun Mallinson.

But Coun Jerome said that even when the grass cutting service was operating efficiently, workers still left areas in a mess.

He said: "Stuff that is cut is left on the side of the area - in a short while it looks awful. The equipment they have got is frankly, inadequate. If this guy can pick up the bits it will be a huge, huge improvement."

At the beginning of the this year, Bradford Council chief executive Philip Robinson and political leader Margaret Eaton attended a parish council meeting in Addingham where they promised to improve the grass cutting service.

But after more failures and complaints from members of Addingham Garden Friends, the parish council agreed to seek an alternative contractor.

Members agreed to get more quotes from local contractors and to ask Bradford Council if the grass cutting money could be paid over in full so local arrangements can be made.