A police chief has moved to reassure the public that a plan to save £2 million by closing help desks is “not a done deal”.

Assistant Chief Constable Geoff Dodd, who is in charge of neighbourhood policing across West Yorkshire, urged people to make their views known on proposed closures, including at stations across the Bradford district.

A four-week review has been extended over the closures, which include proposals to shut the 24-hour public inquiry counter at Bradford city centre’s Trafalgar House police station over-night and reduce helpdesk hours at Lawcroft House station in Manningham.

A full list of closure-threatened help desks has not been released but Councillor Mark Burns-Williamson, chairman of the West Yorkshire Police Authority, told a meeting in Keighley yesterday that some closures were “inevitable” in the face of huge cuts to the police budget.

At the meeting of the Authority’s Local Policing Committee, Mr Dodd said: “We are having an extended period of that consultation. Clearly we want to get a view and gauge opinion around the use of public inquiry counters.”

He said there was a “fundamental need” for the force to make savings – which will total £100 million over the next four years.

He said he was confident a balance could be struck.

Mr Dodd said consultation over the helpdesk in Ilkley, where the Wharfedale and Craven Neighbourhood Police Team is based, had shown that people had been in favour of keeping it open on a Saturday but might accept that it would be closed at quieter times during the week.

“It is important that, if there is a need, that we can provide a service that meets that need,” he said. “This is not a done deal.”

If approved, Trafalgar House’s front desk will be shut between midnight and 8am every night, while Lawcroft House will change its helpdesk opening times from 8am-5pm Monday to Friday to 10am-6pm.

The details came to light after the Telegraph & Argus asked West Yorkshire Police to clarify a message posted on Neighbourhood Policing Team Facebook pages asking for residents’ views on a “review” into public counter opening times.

Anyone who wishes to submit their views should contact their NPT via west yorkshire.police.uk/npt.

e-mail: marc.meneaud@telegraphandargus.co.uk