A suggestion to move Barnoldswick war memorial is under consideration.

Barnoldswick Town Council is considering the implications of moving the war memorial, currently located on Fernlea Avenue, to the town’s memorial gardens, off Kelbrook Road and Essex Street.

Improvements to the memorial gardens have already been discussed by the town council and the West Craven Area Committee, which has allocated £8,000 from its capital programme towards the scheme, expected to cost about £44,000.

“We’ve been saying for a long while that the memorial gardens are deteriorating quite rapidly and we need to refurbish them,” said town councillor Ken Hartley.

Town and borough councillor David Whipp said originally the war memorial came from Letcliffe Park because it became increasingly difficult for frail people to attend Remembrance Day services there.

“At the time, it created a focus in a neglected part of town,” he said. “But relocating the war memorial from Fernlea Avenue to the memorial gardens would provide more space for Remembrance services and would give more purpose to the memorial gardens themselves.”

The Barnoldswick War Memorial Group is currently researching a project, which could see several more names added to the memorial.

Coun Hartley, who is also a member of the group, said: “The problem is there isn’t room for any more names on the war memorial. The alternative is to add plaques to it, but it might have to taken apart and rebuilt, so if you’re doing that you might as well move it.”

The town council resolved to ascertain the cost and open a consultation to gauge the level of support for moving the monument.