A COUNCIL committee chairman says better co-ordination between different organisations should provide Keighley with a better public display of Christmas lights and decorations for the next festive season.

Councillor Barry Thorne, chairman of Keighley Town Council's Events and Leisure Committee, said he and his colleagues have met with Bradford Council's Keighley Area Committee and representatives from the town centre association.

"We've listened to what the public have said and agreed that the lights in Keighley were not very good last year," he said. "We will be having a more joined up approach, so we can hopefully come up with something better for next time.

"Our town clerk will be working with Liz Horn from the Keighley Area Co-ordinator's office and a representative from the town centre management.

"We will also be looking at getting the new Keighley Business Improvement District involved."

Cllr Thorne added that the contract for the organisation responsible for putting up the lights is due to come up for renewal this year.

The state of the lights and decorations in the town centre was subject to fierce criticism late last year, with members of the public branding them "terrible", "a disgrace" and even "a bloody insult".

One illuminated sign in particular, which read: "Keighley a B.I.D town", attracted an especially angry response from people who said it had nothing to do with Christmas.

The sign, in High Street, was meant to celebrate the recent approval of the Business Improvement District scheme in central Keighley, but was soon replaced following negative responses to it from the public.