THE future of Keighley's police station is under review as audits are also being carried out of stations in Shipley, Bingley and Otley.

Last night shocked community leaders vowed to fight any move to axe Keighley station in Royd Ings Avenue.

Councillor Khadim Hussain, a member of West Yorkshire Crime Panel, said he would be urgently seeking answers.

When the closure of the cells more than a year ago provoked fears about policing levels, he was given top-level assurances that provision in the town would be unaffected.

"I'm extremely concerned about this latest situation and will be raising the matter with urgency," said Cllr Hussain, who is chairman of Keighley Area Committee.

"It does nothing to improve public confidence in the police.

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"Closure of the police station would leave the community quite vulnerable and I would fight hard against any such move."

Keighley Conservative MP Kris Hopkins also voiced his opposition.

"A town of Keighley's size must retain its own police station," he said.

"It is still a very new facility, which is greatly valued by local residents and officers alike.

"While the Police and Crime Commissioner's Labour party colleagues in City Hall like to regard Keighley as an outpost which can live off inner-Bradford's crumbs, I do not.

"Keighley police station must stay open."

Town mayor Councillor Graham Mitchell said it would be "unthinkable" for Keighley not to have the facility.

"Myself and colleagues fought to keep the old North Street station open and when it closed we were assured that policing would remain in the town," he said.

"It is unthinkable that a town of about 60,000 people, plus those in the outlying villages, would not have a police station.

"What will happen to all the 'foot soldiers', where will they be based?" Cllr Mitchell said.

West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Mark Burns-Williamson, said the future Keighley police station was included in a wider review of police buildings but he vowed no decision over its future had been made.

"With £163 million of Government cuts to the policing budget by 2017 substantial savings need to be found," he said.

"For police officers and staff to remain visible on our streets it is important to look at the ongoing costs of police buildings, but also how we can work smarter including with new technology, co-locating together with partners and continuing to provide an improving service to people in Keighley.

"Keighley police station is being looked at as part of this wider consideration as to how we deliver policing services in the future, but no decisions will be made until business cases have been fully considered and there has been consultation across our communities."

Councillor Mike Walls (Con, Queensbury), who is also member of the crime panel, said he was unaware of any new threat facing Shipley, Bingley or Otley stations.

"We had a meeting with Mr Burns-Williamson about evaluation of buildings last week," said Cllr Walls, a former police officer.

"It has been mentioned before about shutting Shipley and Bingley, but they seem to have gone off that idea at the moment.

"There is an ongoing audit of all police buildings everywhere and I have to say it would be a very bad move to shut Keighley. If you shut a station it actually creates more work as people have to be sent out to every call."