WEST Yorkshire Police have agreed to look into whether any criminal offences have been committed within Keighley Town Council.

They responded to Keighley MP Kris Hopkins, who called on the police to step in after auditors PKF Littlejohn highlighted serious failings in the way the town council has handled public money.

Mr Hopkins said: “I'm pleased that the temporary chief constable has confirmed that West Yorkshire Police will be taking an active interest in the financial affairs of Keighley Town Council.

"It's very important that this investigation is fair and allowed to run its course."

A letter sent to Mr Hopkins from temporary Chief Constable Dee Collins states that officers from the force's Economic Crime Unit will meet representatives of PKF Littlejohn to determine whether there are grounds for an investigation.

In response, Keighley town mayor councillor Graham Mitchell said: "The council will of course co-operate fully with any investigation. But if there had been any evidence of criminality in the auditors' report one would have expected PKF Littlejohn to have contacted the relevant authorities some time ago."

The police reaction comes in the same week that a campaigner has begun an online campaign to get members of Keighley Town Council to resign.

Ingrow resident Elizabeth Mitchell said she and more than 100 other signatories were calling for the resignation of those councillors who served on the management and staffing committee between June 2012 and March 2013.

"The town no longer has confidence in their ability to serve in its best interests," she said.

"In the auditors' decisions and statement of reasons document it clearly shows that, in the opinion of the auditors, the expenditure incurred by the then management and staffing committee might be contrary to law.

"It shows that the council might have acted unlawfully in purchasing goods for the Keighley Civic Centre Centre with the intention of making a profit."

Mrs Mitchell has been backed by Keighley town councillor Ron Beale. He said: "As a full gesture of apology, the Keighley Mayoral chains of office should now be surrendered to Cliffe Castle Museum to honour those who served on the old Keighley Borough with dedication and dignity.

"This is not the first time that the chain of office has been tarnished by this town council, but it should be the last time. Is it not the right time also to abolish the costly office of mayor, which carries little clout in a town or parish council?"

Coun Mitchell hit back at the resignation calls. He noted that some of the people who signed the petition live nowhere near Keighley, and that he and his fellow councillors are ultimately answerable via the ballot box to parishioners in their own wards.

He said the town council would stage an extraordinary general meeting to respond to the auditors at Keighley Town Hall n Tuesday, December 2, from 6.30pm.