Cash-strapped Airedale Primary Care Trust may be forced pay a "reserve" of £3.7 million in the next financial year to the area's strategic health authority.

Trust board members found out about the proposal at this week's meeting.

The trust is currently forecast to finish the financial year £122,000 overspent.

Director of finance Jonathan Coulter said that West Yorkshire Strategic Health Authority, which covers 15 PCTs, would take the money to "help manage financial pressures" and the money would then be returned in three or four years.

Mr Coulter said: "The thinking is every PCT with a health authority pays a reserve to help the NHS financial issues. A figure of around £3.7m has been suggested for Airedale.

"In effect it's a brokerage system and the money would be returned in the future, around three or four years hence.

"The assumption is that the money does come back. We need to further understand this mechanism and the use to which this reserve can be put."

Chairman of Airedale PCT Pam Essler said: "There is grave concern for us as an individual organisation which is trying to deliver on good governance.

"Any re-allocation of money has to be open and transparent."

Mr Coulter added: "There is a lot of concern about PCT finances, but everyone is working hard to achieve financial balance. We can hold up our heads and say we have done our bit."

Across Yorkshire and Humberside, NHS trusts and PCTs have combined debts of nearly £80m.

l Airedale PCT staff have received guidance on how to respond should a major emergency occur in Keighley.

A major incident plan has been drawn up by the trust, which outlines how staff should act.

Presenting the 98-page report to the trust board meeting, Keith Lister said: "We're happy it's robust and will work well."

Mr Lister promised to produce a shorter list, which will then be distributed to other agencies, such as the police and fire services.

A major incident is defined in the report as "any occurrence that presents a serious threat to the health of the community, disruption to the service or causes such numbers or types of casualty as to require special arrangements to be implemented by hospitals, ambulance trusts or primary care organisations."