A parish councillor has called for district-wide talks on the handing over of power from Bradford Council.

Coun Stuart Goddard, of Ilkley Parish Council, says devolution is the only way forward to champion the causes of the town and respond quickly to the needs of the community.

And his call has been backed by Keighley councillor and former mayor Brian Hudson, who has been battling for more powers since the town was brought under Bradford and District Metropolitan Council control.

Bradford Council has come under fire from Ilkley Parish Council under the chairmanship of parish councillor Alan Morrell for not responding positively to requests.

At its last meeting, Coun Morrell said progress on issues such as 20mph limits around schools and the town’s indoor swimming pool and had been virtually “nil”. Councillors also voted to take on the Power of Wellbeing, which gives councils more say over how to spend funds.

Coun Goddard, who was elected as an independent parish councillor in 2008, said devolution was a contentious issue but he could not see any other way forward.

“I would now very much wish to see a dialogue initiated between all local councils and Bradford MDC with a view to discussing matters such as this,” he said.

“There are many local parish and town councils throughout the UK that in effect run the town that they represent, with full support from their parent councils. I would very much like to see this happen in Ilkley and cannot understand why this cannot become a reality.

“I feel that this would enable us as a council to react quickly to wishes and requests from residents and visitors to the issues that are most important to them. We could do so much more to tackle the contentious issues that affect our town if we were given devolved powers to look after services that affect us directly.”

Coun Brian Hudson, who used to chair the Aire Worth Reform Association, said Bradford had never served Keighley well and that they had had experience of lobbying both local and central government for more say over their own affairs.

“We will never be Bradfordians – we are from Keighley,” he said. “We are proud of that and our heritage and Ilkley will feel much the same. We think we are right to take more power but getting Bradford to agree to it is very difficult. I would welcome a dialogue with Ilkley and other parish councils.

“We could meet in the council chamber and discuss each others’ problems and I’m willing to set that up. Because we are the biggest, we don’t get bullied quite as much as smaller parish councils.”

Bradford district councillor Adrian Naylor, chairman of the Local Council Liaison Group, said that Bradford district had one of the highest numbers of parish and town councils in the country and that it had recently created its 18th parish council.

“We work hard to maintain a dialogue between the parish and the district and hold regular meetings with the Council Liaison Group which is a forum through which concerns can be addressed,” he added.

District councillors are currently in discussions about the leadership of Bradford Council, with an announcement expected next Tuesday.

Labour made gains in the recent local elections, emerging as the largest group with 39 seats, seven more than the Conservatives, who previously led the council with Liberal Democrat support.

Ilkley parish and district councillor Anne Hawkesworth has been voted leader of the Conservative group after former Bradford Council leader Kris Hopkins was elected as the new MP for Keighley and Ilkley.