THE chairman of the Friends of Ilkley Moor, Mr Owen Wells, made it very clear in their press release that the group is 100 per cent against shooting on Ilkley moor under any circumstances. I attended the meeting when BMDC reviewed the contract at which Mr Wells spoke, he could not come up with one valid reason to break the contract. The shoot this year will pay to BMDC £12,000 plus do work on the moor on a pound per pound basis.

BMDC is seeking to reduce expenditure so it is highly unlikely they would wish to replace this loss of income. The shoot in addition employs people, and guests use local hotels, which seems to be of no importance to the protest groups.

Mr Wells’ statement is in danger of stopping any Lottery or other funding for his group as funding bodies are not allowed to provide grants to political or lobbying groups. Neither BMDC or the Friends group have any money, they both rely on the taxpayers.

I am not involved with the shoot, however I am very concerned about the future of the moor. What a shame that the interests of the flora and fauna of Ilkley Moor has become secondary to the interests of this narrow minded lobbying.

Howard Scaife

Backstone Way, Ilkley