It takes a special sort of person to intervene when there might be danger to themselves. So the remarkable coming together of the public and police in a very hazardous robbery situation is to be congratulated all round.

Police constable Tim Brown and Police Community Support Officer Darrin Thompson were both injured when they tackled thugs armed with hammers who raided Burley Post Office last year. They, along with members of the public who saw the incident and flagged down the officers, have been commended for their bravery by police bosses. Local resident Marcus McLeod and an unnamed other member of the public who also intervened were injured as well, though fortunately all the injuries suffered turned out to be relatively minor.

While we might expect that police officers are trained in this sort of situation, nothing can take away the bravery of all involved who selflessly put aside thoughts of their own safety to tackle these vicious robbers. The usual advice is that intervening in such situations is not usually advised for members of the public, because too many so-called ‘have-a-go heroes’ have been badly injured or worse by desperate criminals.

But nothing can be taken away from those brave individuals who step in when they seen an injustice and act out of bravery and selflessness. And the valiant actions of the police officer and the PCSO just goes to show how important front-line policing is to our communities.

Chance to define our own future

Now the deadline has passed for people to have their say on Bradford Council’s proposed Core Strategy, the work to protect the surroundings in Ilkley can now take a different approach.

Concerns are still great that the strategy could pave the way for mass building on Ilkley’s green belt, or an influx of housing when the infrastructure and services are inadequate to cope with a growing population.

Residents will need to wait for the outcome of the consultation – which may also include the case being put for more intensive development – and the final verdict on the strategy. In the meantime, work is getting started on Ilkley’s own Neighbourhood Plan, which will also come into play when planning applications are considered in future.

Although neither this, nor the Bradford District’s Local Plan, will necessarily rule out building that local people are opposed to, it will strengthen the case for what the community finds appropriate locally. Various organisations are being invited to get involved, and soon there will be the chance for the general public to register their own comments, and put forward their own views on how they think the town should grow in future.

While there is a lot of waiting to be done for others to make decisions on behalf of Ilkley, there is also an opportunity for Ilkley’s community to take the initiative and take steps to define its own future.