THOUSANDS of pounds worth of funding has been agreed by Keighley town councillors to support four separate community projects in Keighley, Oakworth and East Morton.

Councillors voted in favour of the four funding applications – worth a total of £27,239 – at their latest full meeting last night. (March 16)

Grants include £5,968 for Oakworth's Friends of Holden Park, £10,000 for Highfield Community Association, £6,761 for East Morton Community Shop and £4,510 for Friends of Burgess Field.

The money for Holden Park will be used to fund the installation of six CCTV cameras for this public space.

Explaining the need for the measure at the town council meeting, Friends spokesman Andrew Wiseman said the volunteer group was established in 2004 to improve the park in response to local concerns about antisocial behaviour and vandalism.

"We have wanted CCTV for years but the costs have proved unmanageable," he added.

"But we believe the current proposal for CCTV will be cost effective and manageable.

"We've done a lot to improve the park but a new wave of antisocial behaviour and vandalism comes each year with each new intake of school pupils.

"Last year the bowling club was badly hit.

"A group of youths gather in the park causing problems such as verbal abuse, missiles being thrown at cars on Oakworth Road, intimidation of mothers and children at school picking up time, drug dealing and drug taking.

"We need to take back our park again."

The recommendation for the £5,968 for the security cameras, put forward by the town council's Finance and Overview Committee, was strongly backed by councillors.

They also supported the committee's recommendations for the three other projects, including the £10,000 requested by Highfield Community Association.

The association wants to substantially extend its building in Drewry Road, to enable its current outdoor games area to become an indoor games hall.

If it can make up a funding shortfall of £40,000 it will also create a mezzanine floor above its existing hall, which will allow it to develop a multi-use area for children and young people, as well as extra training and meeting rooms.

Councillors agreed in principle to grant the £10,000, as long as the association can secure the remaining money it needs to complete the work.

Councillor Amjad Zaman said: "It's a great project which will help the whole community and benefit the whole town. I think we have a duty of care to our town to support this."

Speaking shortly before the council agreed to provide the £4,510 to Friends of Burgess Field, Judith Allen, a member of this friends group, said: "We want to make this green area a better, safe place for people to use.

"Over the last couple of weeks we've installed three benches at the top of the field, which people have started using.

"We've got big plans for the field to get communities together and to make it a nicer place."

Councillors John Kirby and Kaneez Akthar both said the Friends had done an excellent job of making Burgess Field, in Highfield, a more inviting location.

Cllr Amjid Ahmed, who is a member of Friends of Burgess Field, declared an interest in the item so did not take part in the discussion or the vote on this grant.