The Parish Plan
Burley
Burley, Woodhead and Stead form the ancient township of Burley–in–Wharfedale. Its boundaries stretch up onto and over Rombalds Moor, almost to Dick Hudson's, but it is on the northern side of the moorland and in the Wharfe valley that the population live. The township has been transformed in the last 200 years from a farming village, run as a parish under the local government requirements of the 1601 Poor Law Act, to a small industrial town with its own local elected Council, and then to a commuter village, part of the larger Wharfe valley town of Ilkley. Local government from 1937 was based in Ilkley (an Urban District Council) and Wakefield (West Riding County Council). From 1974 it has been based in Bradford Metropolitan District Council, after the abolition of the Urban District and County Councils. A residual body, the Ilkley Parish Council is concerned with local affairs.
Industrialisation brought increasing population, and at the beginning of the 20th century when virtually all households depended upon the fortunes of the textile mills owned by William Fison and Company at Greenholme, there were just over 3300 people. In the 100 years which have followed, the textile mills have closed, but the population has grown due to the attractiveness of the Wharfe valley for homes not too far from the industrial and commercial towns of West Yorkshire. In 2001 the population according to the Census was about 6500.
Age Groups |
Burley 1901 |
Burley 2001 |
Bradford 2001 |
England & Wales 2001 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0 – 14 years |
11.4% |
6.2% |
7.1% |
6.0% |
5 – 15 years |
20.5% |
13.5% |
16.3% |
14.2% |
16 – 24 years |
17.4% |
8.1% |
12.5% |
10.9% |
25 – 44 years |
29.2% |
29.1% |
28.0% |
29.1% |
45 – 64 years |
16.7% |
26.1% |
21.7% |
23.8% |
65 – 74 years |
3.5% |
9.6% |
7.7% |
8.4% |
Over 75 years |
1.2% |
7.4% |
6.7% |
7.6% |
Summary |
3310 |
6446 |
? |
? |
The above table illustrates the historical change in Burley, showing clearly the fact of an ageing population as well as an increasing population since 1901. Note too that Burley is different from Bradford as a whole in percentage terms. Bradford has a somewhat younger population and comparing the age groups with those of England and Wales as a whole Burley's population has a slightly older look to it. Over a quarter of the households in the village are now pensioner households.
The balance between the sexes in Burley has changed little since 1901, when it was fairly even. The percentage of women is slightly greater in 2001 at 51.1 and men 48.9. The differences are however hardly significant. The ethnic composition of the population is predominantly white. Burley is now very much a commuter village, with most of the population in employment working outside it, particularly in Leeds and Bradford. Fast train services to the cities are seen as a great advantage. There is little unemployment among those seeking work between 16 and 74 years. In 2001 62 persons were unemployed or less than 2%.
A high proportion of the population has professional or degree level qualifications; 35% compared with 16% in the Bradford District and 20% in England and Wales.
Generally the village is affluent. There is little overcrowding. All but 10% of houses have modern amenities. Eighty five percent of households own at least one car. There are only small pockets of deprivation with 11% of households claiming council benefits and 7% of children are entitled to free school meals, compared to Bradford District figures of 29% and 48% respectively. The relative affluence too is shown in the high percentage of detached houses among housing types, 38.5% compared with 13.5% in Bradford as a whole. Over 85% are owner occupied compared with just over 70% in the Bradford District. The population is relatively healthy too, with only 14% reportedly long term sick, compared with 18% in the Bradford District. There is an ageing population as we have indicated and this means that the proportion of those who indicated that they have long term caring roles in the community is slightly higher than in Bradford or the country as a whole at over 10%. We also have a very good and well-staffed GP surgery in the village which provides support for the health and welfare of all.
Those are some of the bare facts about Burley. What we know from our surveys is that the village has a good community spirit, with many groups and organisations catering for the social welfare and leisure needs of the population. The Churches also provide well for the spiritual needs of all and work well together, for instance in providing an Open Door service in the centre of the village on weekdays. The village still has its Post Office, a branch of Leeds Coop, and a good range of shops which can satisfy most domestic needs. It lacks a bank, but the Post Office and Coop provide alternative means of cash withdrawal for those who have Bank credit or debit cards.
For the last thirty years, the village has had its own voluntary Community Council. This has served the function of providing a sounding board for public opinion, information in the form of a Village Handbook, support for village groups and organisations, and environmental improvements. A list of these is contained in the 2005 Village Handbook (the 10th edition of the book), recently circulated free to every household. It is through the Community Council that regular public meetings are held, surveys of needs are carried out, and negotiations with Local Authorities are conducted. There has been great public support for the Community Council, and it has now been recognised that the village should have its own statutory authority in the form of a Parish Council, rather than be subsumed within Ilkley. This should be set up in 2006.
The statistical table is drawn from official Census of Population statistics for 1901 and 2001. The latter have been taken from the Bradford District Information website at www.bradfordinfo.com where other statistical data contained in this chapter have been obtained. To obtain further details from the 2001 census and other statistics follow this route:
- Log on to www.bradfordinfo.com
- Scroll down the Home Page and click on Maps& Stats
- Click on BCSP application (on left hand side). Download software (if required) to the Map Guide application and a map of Bradford District
- To the right of the screen select Neighbourhood and click on Next
- Select Burley in Wharfedale, again click on Next and then select required option