The Standing Conference of Southern Pennine Authorities (SCOSPA), a group set up to protect and improve areas such as Ilkley Moor (England), has picked up a grant of £850,000 after joining forces with partners from four other European countries. But major improvements to Ilkley Moor will have to wait until the next round of grant awards, according to the town's countryside boss.
     SCOSPA is made up of nine local authorities in Yorkshire and Lancashire which have areas of South Pennine moorland within their boundary. The group bid for the cash with 15 other groups from Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands. The bid for European funding was made by the Netherlands for the whole of the group and the grant was formally accepted earlier this month.
     If the expected new funding comes on-stream, a wide range of improvements on Ilkley Moor could result, according to Danny Jackson, Bradford Council's countryside officer for Ilkley. Mr Jackson said: "In the future, the fact that this company has been set up will allow it to get money for the Ilkley Moor management plan."
     That could also mean more education work done to make sure locals and visitors appreciated the significance of archaeological sites on the moor such as the Twelve Apostles stone circle or the Swastika stone. Mr Jackson said: "We have a management plan to cover the next ten years but we can only do a certain amount with existing resources."

Source: Ilkley Gazette (20 November 2003)