We have – fingers crossed – escaped the worst of the bad weather that has been battering other parts of the country.

But that does not mean we in this area are immune to the effects of the heavy rains, as residents living on the road between Burley-in-Wharfedale and Menston, and the commuters who use this busy highway, found out to their cost this week.

Incessant rain coupled with a blocked drain caused problems on the A65, which were swiftly sorted out and the route became passable again within a few hours.

With experts saying that we must get used to more wet weather and heavy downpours, however, it does raise the question of whether our infrastructure is able to cope if such scenes become more commonplace.

Residents say flooding on this road has become a regular event and the drainage system is outdated and unable to cope with heavy influxes of rainwater.

Plans for more houses in this area will only put more pressure on an already-overstretched system. It is obvious that a lot of thought needs to go into how our communities will cope as population grows, more houses are built and traffic becomes heavier.

Much of our infrastructure dates back to a time when such expansion could not be envisaged, and needs to be brought up to date.

Hard decisions are looming...

Some tough decisions could be looming for townspeople where the Manor House Museum and Art Gallery is concerned.

Most people would probably be most content to leave the Ilkley museum as it is, a local museum and venue, run by Bradford Council.

Notwithstanding a change of heart by the Council, or savings made from elsewhere in Bradford museums though, it looks unlikely that the status quo will be maintained at the Manor House.

Public sector cuts are far from over, and while Bradford Council can choose where it makes the cuts, it does have to make savings somewhere. What is most frustrating for those in the frontline of fighting the Manor House’s corner, though, has to be the lack of time given to come up with a good plan, and indeed the funding to make any such thing possible.

Realistically, without the aid of an exceptionally-generous benefactor, any community management scheme that comes to pass is most likely to have some form of commercial element to it.

This may well mean the community will have to state its preferences – and state them promptly – for what should be retained at the museum in future.