A PARISH council voted not to take action in response to Bradford Council plans to drastically cut the amount it spends on maintaining the district's bowling greens.

Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury Parish Councillors considered a letter from the district council warning that the cost of maintaining all public bowling greens across the district will need to halve by 2020, requiring £100,000 to be saved or raised as additional income.

The letter says all bowling clubs have been asked to consider opting for community asset transfers or taking on summer grass cutting.

It also asks whether Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury Parish Council would be willing to offer financial assistance to the two bowls clubs within its patch.

Cllr Angel Kershaw argued that it should be up to bowls club members to work out how they will continue to fund their own sport, as is the case with other local sports clubs.

Council chairman Cllr Gary Swallow said: "Membership of these clubs is £25 a year and even if they doubled that to £50 this would still only be £1 a week.

"I don't think the parish council should be supporting this from public funds. Otherwise we could have other sports clubs coming to us with requests for help."

Cllr Peter Clarke disagreed, saying: "I think the sporting heritage of both bowls clubs makes them ideal candidates for asset transfers.

"I'm supportive of the idea of this council taking these clubs on in the future."

Cllr Clarke recommended an amendment to the proposal that the parish council should take no further action, and asked for the matter to go before the council's own finance and overview committee.

However, in the subsequent vote this amendment was defeated.

Cllr Swallow said: "We can't be supporting private sports clubs like these, otherwise where would it end? We've already got financial commitments with the Haworth public toilets."