Police probe ‘now underway at Keighley council’

West Yorkshire Police’s Economic Crime Unit was asked look into Keighley Town Council in November after an audit report said the council had failed to safeguard public money and may have acted unlawfully.

Police stepped in at the request of Keighley MP Kris Hopkins.

Yesterday Ramona Senior, head of Economic Crime Unit, said: “We have now received appropriate paperwork from auditors and are investigating the matters raised by Mr Hopkins to see if any criminal activity has taken place.”

Mr Hopkins said: “It is certainly positive news that the police inquiry is fully underway. Officers must now be allowed to get on with their work free from outside interference, and I look forward to hearing the outcome of their investigations in due course.”

Campaigner Elizabeth Mitchell, who helped expose problems at the council, said: “I would urge anyone who has concerns of illegality or unlawfulness within the council to contact the Unit straight away.”

She added: “I would hope that the documents that have been sent to the MP by members of the public and councillors are taken into consideration by the Economic Crime Unit.”

The council’s new clerk, Tom Ferry, said recently he did not believe there was a “remote chance” of criminality within the council.