until 2006 ilkley civil parish consisted of ilkley ward, which includes ben rhydding, and the north half of rombalds ward. the latter ward housed the villages of burley-in-wharfedale and menston. the population of the parish in 2001 was therefore considerably higher than it is today, consisting of 24,954 residents. in 2006 burley-in-wharfedale and menston established their own parishes and today ilkley consists only of ilkley ward (13,828 residents).