COUNCILLORS debated whether it might potentially be feasible to move Haworth's war memorial to another location in the village.

The idea was floated on Monday evening (Nov 24) at the latest full meeting of Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury Parish Council.

The cenotaph is at the junction of Bridgehouse Lane and Station Road. Currently, police need to briefly halt traffic at this spot once a year during the Remembrance Day service.

Acting parish council chairman Coun Angel Kershaw said previous proposals had suggested moving the memorial to West Lane, Haworth.

She added the roads were getting busier, leading to some problems each year when the road next to the cenotaph is temporarily closed during the service.

She said a couple of drivers had objected to this restriction, though noted she did not know how representative their views were of the wider Haworth community. She said last year she had even been sworn at by one motorist.

Coun Alan Watts said: "The cenotaph was erected in 1925, and if it's moved we'd have half of Haworth up in arms about it.

"I've been asking people about the idea and they're not happy with it. Leave it where it is, it's fine. And don't put it in the park, because it will be wrecked!"

Coun Gary Swallow pointed out that the road is only closed for a few minutes once a year, while Coun Mike Holdsworth said that shifting the memorial to another road would simply mean that traffic would have to be stopped there instead.

Coun Holdsworth asked whether any Haworth residents had actually complained about the road being closed during the remembrance service.

Coun Kershaw warned that Haworth Central Park already accommodates a number of other facilities, and would lose even more of its open space if the cenotaph is relocated there.

Coun Watts formally proposed that the memorial should be left at its current site. The motion was passed unanimously.

During the same meeting, Coun Swallow voiced his thanks to the police for helping to facilitate the latest Remembrance Day service at the cenotaph.