A councillor today called on Shipley's politicians to talk to police amid fears beat bobbies could be lost from the streets.

Last month, the Telegraph & Argus reported how a cross-party campaign had been launched to retain Shipley and Baildon's existing community beat managers once the Bradford Police Review is implemented.

The force is reducing the number of police divisions in the area from five to three.

But Shipley councillors said they were concerned that beat bobbies would be withdrawn and re-deployed.

West Yorkshire Police announced that although beat officers will be maintained "in the most challenging areas" some areas will lose them.

An enlarged Keighley division will get an extra 40 patrol officers, working from Shipley and Keighley.

A Problem Oriented Policing Team - looking at the root causes of crime and anti-social behaviour to find community solutions - will be based at Bingley.

But Councillor Phil Thornton (Lab, Shipley East) fears the changes could have major implications for Shipley and Baildon. He argues reductions in crime are helped by community beat managers using local knowledge and has written to Inspector Nigel Cawthorne, of Shipley police, requesting a meeting with councillors to discuss the issue in more detail.

He said: "We're still in the dark about what's going to happen and we have a duty to our constituents to find out exactly what level of service the people of Shipley can expect after the review is implemented.

"I accept there may be more police on the streets overall but people in the existing beat managers' areas want them to stay on their streets and if the POP team is covering the whole division I can't see how they'll be able to provide the same level of service.''

David Senior, the Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Shipley, said: "Having a meeting would be very useful and I'd be more than happy to take part.

"We'll be continuing with the Keep Our Police campaign to maintain existing beat bobbies on their existing beats in Shipley and Baildon.''

Insp Cawthorne said he would be happy to discuss the issue and the benefits of a POP team.