Ilkley Police Station could open its doors seven days a week and recruit more special constables under the town's new police inspector.

Inspector Tony Walker wants to introduce weekend opening hours for the station's front desk and ensure its doors are always open to the public from 9am to 5pm on weekdays. And as head of the Ilkley station, he wants to recruit more special constables and volunteers to boost the policing of the Ilkley area.

Although officers are based at Ilkley Police Station around the clock, the front desk is not currently open to the public on weekends. Insp Walker said the office had recently been closed to the public on occasions during part of its normal weekday opening times.

This week he revealed he would like to see the help desk of Ilkley Police Station open to the public more often - using the help of special constables and volunteers.

"I will be looking to keep the police station open for definite Monday to Friday 9 to 5, but also look for ways of extending the service for Ilkley without creating a disservice for another area," he said.

Insp Walker said he would need to balance the need for staff on the street and at emergencies, with the wish to have the help desk open.

Insp Walker was recently posted to Ilkley, after Sergeant Esther Hobbs was transferred to Keighley Division's Problem Orientated Policing (POP) Team based at Bingley. Sgt Hobbs will still have some involvement in the Ilkley area, and is in charge of Police Community Support Officers.

One of Insp Walker's other aims would be to bring in special constables to help with the work of the regular officers in Ilkley.

He said: "I'm looking to recruit a section officer in the special constabulary and their first brief will be in assisting with recruitment. We will be 'pro-active' in our efforts to get special constables for Ilkley.

"It would be nice to increase the number of bobbies on the beat, but special constables are very important to West Yorkshire police, for things like policing public order on Friday and Saturday nights."

Keighley Division Police recently told Ilkley people at a public meeting how they planned to launch a recruitment drive for specials, volunteers in policing and PCSOs in the valley.

Insp Walker is also the officer behind plans for a Community Speedwatch scheme, which could put laser speed guns in the hands of volunteers from members of the community. He said money had been raised in Keighley to buy a speed gun for that town. Six volunteers had been found in Ilkley, but police do not yet have funding to buy a speed gun for Ilkley.

Ilkley Parish councillors supported Insp Walker's aims.

"I think it's important to keep the service up in Ilkley," said the chairman, Councillor Kate Brown.

Councillor Mike Lynes, a regular campaigner about policing in Ilkley, said the introduction of volunteers and specials was a 'good compromise'.