FURTHER to Peter Corkindale’s recent letter – Keighley needs help (Keighley News, January 15) – I feel obliged to put right some facts he has misrepresented.

He says the lottery paid for a £500,000 investment in Cliffe Castle Museum. Not so. The funding came from Bradford Council. What’s more, the council will be investing even more as its contribution to refurbishing the park.

Mr Corkindale says Bradford Council doesn’t understand Keighley needs a one-way system in spite of the fact Bradford Council has already allocated £1.5 million for that very scheme.

Next he quotes a Keighley News report as evidence this project is on the back burner. But, as the report makes clear, the reality is the funding is secured and progress being made after years of neglect under Bradford’s previous Conservative leadership.

Bradford Council has also secured resources to create a dual carriageway at Hard Ings in addition to the improvements we’ve already made there.

These measures will reduce congestion and help to attract investment, visitors and employment to Keighley and its surrounding areas.

Keighley residents and businesses also benefit from our district-wide work to improve the strategic road network, at Saltaire roundabout for example, and our investment in ground-breaking employment programmes and apprenticeships.

We are working with businesses on a Business Improvement District to improve and promote the town centre, with the college that launched an Industrial Centre for Excellence for Engineering last week, with investors to revitalise the empty college building and with property owners to restore Keighley’s heritage buildings.

None of these things happen by themselves or overnight. They require determination, persistence and patience, and rely on partnerships and long-term commitment, but progress is being made.

Despite Mr Corkindale’s sour grapes, the evidence proves Bradford Council’s commitment to investing resources and energy in Keighley’s future and maximising the potential of the natural, historical and economic assets, of which local people are so rightly proud.

COUNCILLOR SUSAN HINCHCLIFFE Bradford Council portfolio holder for employment, skills and culture