Bradford Council has renewed demands for Silsden Town Council to return £25,000 after failing to deliver the project it was meant for.

The authority wants to claw back money supposed to have been used for a police and community contact point in the town.

Silsden Town Council received the cash as part of proceeds generated by the sale of the town’s police station in 2005. The intention was to transform the former Silsden Library in Wesley Place into a permanent police and community contact point. But the project faltered through lack of volunteers and potential refurbishment costs, and the money has since lain unused.

Steve Hartley, the council’s interim strategic director for environment and sport, said: “As the town council does not have any immediate plans to provide the contact point, Bradford Council has asked for the money back so it can progress the project.”

But town council chairman, Coun-cillor Chris Atkinson, said the council had not yet asked for the money back and the matter would likely go before a meeting tonight. He added: “Why do they want it back to start with? It is for the people of Silsden.”

The town council was given a 30-day deadline last June to draft a plan to spend the money on a community project or run the risk of forfeiting it.