PLANS are progressing for community groups to step in to save two Bradford district tourist offices threatened with the axe.

But the future of the tourist information centre in the World Heritage Site of Saltaire remains uncertain, according to a new Council report.

Bradford Council has placed the future of its four visitor information centres under review, and consultants have recommended closing the offices in the tourist hotspots of Haworth, Saltaire and Ilkley, and only retaining the one in Bradford city centre.

A formal decision is due to be taken later this year by Council bosses, and tomorrow a scrutiny committee will look at how community groups could step in to save the facilities.

The report, by strategic director of place Steve Hartley, says the Bronte Society still hopes to take on the running of a visitor information centre for Haworth.

In Ilkley, meanwhile, the report says, consultation is still on-going with Ilkley Parish Council, which is considering funding two members of staff to retain a visitor centre in Ilkley Library.

But what will happen to Saltaire’s centre remains unclear.

Bradford Council has to save £172,000 from its tourism budget in the coming year.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, the Executive member for environment, sport and culture, said the discussions in Haworth and Ilkley were “looking very positive”.

She said: “No-one has come up with definitive proposals. There are a number of options being looked at and questions from people in the community.

“So what we would like to look at is seeing whether someone has come forward in regards to Saltaire and seeing how we can work with partners in Saltaire.”

Cllr Ferriby said they were also looking at novel ways in which visitor information services could be delivered, either through the use of new technology or through pop-up tourism centres at some of the big events in the district.

She said she was looking forward to hearing the committee’s views. She said: “They may come up with some interesting ideas and we need to pull all of these ideas together about how we deliver services differently.”

Councillor Martin Love (Green, Shipley) said discussions were continuing over the Saltaire office.

He said: “We are talking to various people, but there is nothing concrete in place as yet. We need to sort out both a location and volunteers, but any new centre won’t be on the scale of what we have at the moment.

“We may end up with pop-up centres for major events such as the Festival and the Arts Trail.”

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