Ilkley tax payers are being asked to shoulder part of a £7.5 million policing bill for the Bradford riots.

The full cost of last summer's outbreak of disorder in the city is documented in the Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police, Graham Moore's, annual report.

In the newly published document, Chief Constable Moore says the force has enjoyed "significant success in tackling major crime", despite a 15 per cent overall rise in recorded offences.

Annual figures for the period April, 2001, to March, 2002 show that while violent crime in the area remains the lowest of all Metropolitan forces, there was a 50 per cent increase in robberies and domestic burglaries have risen from 34 per 1,000 households to 39.

In his foreword, Chief Constable Moore goes on to explain how the rioting in Bradford pulled resources away from other duties - and left West Yorkshire Police facing a £10.9 million hangover.

While the Government has agreed to pay £2.2 million towards the policing operation costs, the force will have to pay £7.5 million worth of claims for riot damages.

Chief Constable Moore said: "Our position has been made particularly difficult because of rioting, disorder and the run of expensive major investigations which remove experienced officers from routine policing."

Referring directly to the riot bill, he added: "I strongly believe that this is an unfair burden on local charge payers and is unfairly borne by the Police Authority, which is only one part of the local government infrastructure."

The need to channel resources into events like the riots, in connection with which 260 people have been arrested, and the Leanne Tiernan murder, explained the rises in 'volume' crime, he said. These included a 22 per cent jump in the number of 999 calls made (to 533,000) and a 50 per cent hike in robberies (to 5,674).

Commenting on house burglaries, he said: "They have increased this year but there are still 23,500 fewer homes being broken into than in 1994.

"Over the last seven years burglary appears to have stabilised to a degree and we will continue to do all that we can to ensure it starts to reduce again."

Chief Constable Moore concluded his last annual report before his retirement by praising his force for continuing to do "a remarkable job."