Police have backed down over controversial plans to scrap two police station helpdesks.

West Yorkshire Police confirmed today that Bingley and Otley front counters will remain after earlier earmarking them for closure in a bid to tackle a £17 million budget shortfall.

But there was disappointment in Shipley, where the force said it was sticking by plans to close the helpdesk as part of plans to save £1 million over two years.

Town MP Philip Davies said he was gutted' about the closure of Shipley helpdesk, which follows the presentation of a 1,000 strong petition against the plan to the Home Office.

He said: "Helpdesks are at the forefront of community policing and this will be a massive blow to the people of Shipley who have shown they want them to stay."

Mr Davies took the fight to the House of Commons, demanding that Home Office Minister Paul Goggins reviewed the planned closures.

Police were criticised last month when it emerged thousands was spent on refurbishing Shipley front counter before it was decided not to reopen it under cost-cutting measures. Petition organiser Andy Rowley, chairman of Windhill Ward Police Tasking Group, said he was disappointed about the decision.

He said: "More than 1,000 tax payers have said they want a police helpdesk so this is a real kick in the teeth for them."

Greg Mulholland MP, who campaigned to keep Otley helpdesk open, said he was delighted police had made the right decision'.

"Policing should be retained at a local level as much as possible as without a help desk at Otley Police station police would have had to start and finish their shifts at Weetwood, nine miles away."

Mark Burns-Williamson, chairman of West Yorkshire Police Authority which sets the police budget, said deciding to close front counters had been a tough call in the struggle to rein in force finances.

He said: "We have priority areas we have to put money into, such as counter terrorism and improving the quality of service for victims of crime, keeping them fully informed.

"The underlying issue is the central settlement being around £15 million short of what we should have received."

A police spokesman confirmed the decisions to keep Shipley help desk closed and to safeguard Bingley and Otley front counters.

He said they were still considering the future of Brighouse, Heckmondwike and Cleckheaton helpdesks, along with others across the force earmarked for closure.

e-mail: jonathan.walton@bradford.newsquest.co.uk

WHAT YOU THINK...

Kamaran Khalid, 22, property maintenance worker, of Shipley. "It's more convenient coming here if you've got documents to produce, otherwise it's Lawcroft House. There's no need for it to close. It's right people should have Shipley police station to use."

Muhammed Hanif, 50, of Shipley. "It does bother you that you can't just go to the police station if you need to. I had a car stolen and I had to go to Eccleshill even though I live nearby. It's not convenient."

Nancy Barritt, 80, retired, of Bingley. "It's very important to have a police station you can use in your town in today's society. You are always looking over your shoulder. Someone my age needs the reassurance of a police station. More officers on the street is important too."

Kathleen Sutton, 57, housewife, of Shipley. "I'm profoundly deaf and even though I live next to the police station I can't use it. I can't use phones, so the phone outside is useless to me. The police have done nothing to help deaf people contact them."

Mary Jones, 86, retired, of Bingley. "Because you don't see many police on the streets it is reassuring to have a police station where you can talk to an officer if you have to. It is reassuring. Bingley police station has been here since way back. It makes us as a community feel as one."