VILLAGERS in Ingleton were told this week that they could lose their police station completely if plans to convert two police houses into a new station failed.

Ingleton Parish Council called a public meeting this week to discuss the proposal, which has caused some concern among some residents.

Parish councillors, who discussed the plans recently, flagged up worries to Craven District Council's planning committee about noise, light and safety issues which had been brought to their attention.

Craven's divisional commander, Supt Andy Parker, told the packed public meeting in Ingleton Middle School's hall that if the scheme for the police houses did not go through, the money would be lost, and there were no guarantees that cash would be available in the future for a new police station.

He added that the condition of the existing police station was so bad that health and safety officers were 'breathing down his neck' and that if there was a delay in replacing it, there was little or no chance of getting the required £60,000 worth of repairs done.

And if Ingleton police station had to close without a new one in place, the officers based there would be relocated to Settle to cover Ingleton from there.

Supt Parker explained that money raised from the sale of Ingleton police station would go into a central pot - it would not be ringfenced for the benefit of Ingleton - and would be allocated for capital projects on a basis of need throughout the county.

'Just because a building is in Craven, does not mean the money will be spent in Craven,' he said.

'There are a lot of conflicting demands for money, and this is all against the back-ground of £4 million cuts.

'For this scheme, we had to compete against Scarborough, Malton and York, all wanting new police stations, there is also a new radio system planned, and the two new control rooms.

'We managed to get the proposal for Backgate through, and I am certain we wouldn't get it now.'

The £80,000 scheme for converting the empty police houses to a station for eight officers will include conference facilities which will be used for major incidents and will also be available for the public to use.

Richard Boardman told the meeting he felt the police houses conversion was not the most cost effective option for a new station, and Barry Greenwood said that Supt Parker was doing a bit of emotional blackmail.

But there was also support for the police houses scheme from the chairman of the governors of Ingleton Middle School, Mike Fitzsimmons.

He said: 'We are happy to see the police station near the school as a security measure.'

Mayor of Bentham, Wendy Dowbiggin, said that as her town no longer had a police station, it was paramount that Ingleton had one.

Chairman of Ingleton Parish Council, Carl Lis, thanked everyone for coming, and stressed that everyone there cared passionately about the village of Ingleton.

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