NEARLY two years after it was revealed Keighley Police Station's future was in doubt the town's police inspector says he does not know what will happen to the property.

Inspector Khalid Khan, who was appointed last year, said he would like to know just as much as anyone else what will be done with the station in Royd Ings Avenue.

He said he and his colleagues have had an “absolute assurance” that there will definitely continue to be a police base in the town, but stressed no decision had yet been made on what role the existing station will have.

“It’s a question I’ve been asking, and a question a lot of other people have been asking,” he added.

“There will be a base in Keighley, and there are a number of options they are looking at but these are all still under consideration.

“None of this is impacting on current policing. We are still working now, whether we work from Royd Ings or whether it’s from another building, it makes little difference.

“They do have to make a decision though, and they will have to consider everything, including the needs of the community, and the costs to the public, because Keighley Police Station is a public building which the public are paying for.

“Whatever they decide has to be financially viable and practical.”

In March 2015, it emerged that the future of Keighley Police Station had been put "under review".

West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Mark Burns-Williamson, then said the Keighley station was being included in a wider review of police buildings.

He pointed out that substantial savings had to be found to cope with £163 million worth of Government cuts.

Despite calls in spring of 2016 for an end to the uncertainty surrounding Keighley Police Station, the issue remained undecided last year.

And a spokesman for Mr Burns-Williamson's office confirmed this week that the station's future role was still subject to review.

Councillor Michael Westerman, chairman of Keighley Town Council's Watch and Transport Committee, said he was "disgusted" that the uncertainty over the town's police station has dragged on for so long.

He said this has come on top of police services in the building being progressively reduced.

"All we're going to end up with is a police call box before long," he warned.

"I've said this before. A town the size of Keighley needs a 24-hour, manned police station which includes CID, serious crime officers and child safeguarding officers.

"It's about time Mark Burns-Williamson started giving us some definitive answers."

Keighley MP Kris Hopkins said: "The current West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner gave me a personal guarantee in July 2015 that Keighley will retain a police station.

"I have made clear several times, including to him, that I am happy for the station to relocate from its current base to its former site in the centre of town.

"A consultation was launched and I am not aware of any concrete outcomes from this.

"It would certainly be helpful for local residents to know what conclusions – if any – the commissioner has reached.

"Most importantly, though, he must stick to his cast iron commitment to me to keep a police station in Keighley.”