A COUNCLLOR has apologised for an "ill judged remark" criticising an offer of funding for Ilkley's lights switch on.

Cllr Jennifer Souter said she had quickly realised her indiscretion after describing a £500 offer from JCT600 as "insulting".

Since her comment she has apologised in writing to JCT and she made a further apology at a meeting of Ilkley Parish Council this week. Cllr Souter said she took full responsibility for the embarrassment she had caused and revealed she had written to JCT after making her comment.

But she stood by the council decision not to accept the funding on the terms offered. In a letter which will appear in next week's Ilkley Gazette she says: "Such a high profile presence from JCT would have been a major distraction from the main event (the Christmas lights switch on) and I recommended its rejection. By a large majority Council agreed, but nevertheless went back to JCT with an alternative proposal. This was declined.

"However well intentioned, sponsors must not be allowed to determine the character of the events they support. The Christmas lights switch on is still a popular start to the Festive Season in Ilkley, done very much in a traditional way. There is absolutely no evidence that our local populace want it reconfigured to become a different event with mixed seasonal and commercial objectives.

"For reasons given above I believe I acted correctly in declining the JCT offer."

After the initial comments JCT Chairman Jack Tordoff said he was stunned and upset by the criticism of the £500 offer, and he said his firm would not be offering further sponsorship to the parish council.

"We have never had a response like that – it is awful” he said."

At this week's meeting Cllr Souter was praised and thanked by Cllr Mike Gibbons for her part in organising the town's switch on and display.

"This was headed up by Jennifer in the most wonderful way," he said.