OTLEY Town Council has approved funding for a bat survey in support of the Wharfedale Greenway.

The scheme aims to transform a disused railway line into a walking and cycling route that joins Pool-in-Wharfedale, Otley, Burley-in-Wharfedale and - eventually - Menston.

A bat survey is needed as part of the planning application that is being made to proceed with the first, Otley to Burley, phase.

Otley council’s Policy and Resources Committee agreed to provide £1,800 for the survey when it met at Otley Core on Monday, June 10.

The committee agreed earlier this year, in March, to provide £4,000 of extra funding to support the Greenway’s first stage.

The council, meanwhile, also approved a ‘clean bill of health’ Audit Report, Governance Statement and Accounts this week.

Chairman Councillor Ray Georgeson (Lib Dem, Danefield) said: “We commended the Executive Officer and her team for another year of hard work and good management of the council’s finances, displaying again a clean bill of health to the auditor and demonstrating that we continue to manage the community’s money carefully.”