ACTION plans for estates and villages in Keighley are being drawn up by popular community development worker Pip Gibson.

She was this week working on Ward Plans after hearing her job was safe for the next 12 months following an injection of Keighley Town Council cash.

She announced on Facebook that she would be continuing after her employers, Bracken Bank and District Community Association, received a share of an £80,000 payout.

Residents of areas including Bracken Bank and Braithwaite had hoped Pip’s job was safe when the town council stepped in after Bradford Council withdrew funding.

The association, along with Highfield Community Association and the KIVCA charity, will share the community development work across the entire town council area.

Pip revealed that her new area – changed slightly from the Bradford Council area – consisted of Braithwaite, Guardhouse, Guardhouse, Bracken Bank, Ingrow, Fell Lane and Westburn, Bogthorn and Exley Head, Oakworth and Laycock.

She told the Keighley News that the main focus of her work would be to support local people to carry out their own projects.

She said: “I’ll work closely with Keighley town councillors to develop Ward Plans that make the best use of locally available talent, skills and resources.

“This new style of working puts local people right at the top of the list. Their voice matters and I will be making sure that their priorities underpin community development activities in Keighley West.

“I would like to thank Keighley Town Council for their commitment to community development within the town and also all those people who have been so supportive over the years.”

Pip said people across the Keighley West area could look forward to new projects, initiatives and events, alongside her continued support for existing groups and projects.

The town council last month shared £80,000 between the three groups, commissioning each one to carry out work in specific neighbourhoods, and between them covering the whole Keighley Town Council area.

The funding decision hit controversy for rejecting a bid for cash from the same budget for Hainworth Wood Community Centre.

The community centre’s management committee was one of the three groups that originally received cash from Bradford Council for community development work in Keighley, along with KIVCA and the Bracken Bank association.

Bradford Council this spring axed funding for community development workers across the district as part of attempts to save millions of pounds on its annual budget. The remaining funding is being targeted at helping community centres with their running costs.