DISTRICT MPs have pledged their backing for more funding to be ploughed into the police force.

Keighley Labour MP John Grogan and his Tory counterpart Philip Davies, whose Shipley seat includes Cullingworth and Denholme, agree the service is currently underfunded by the Government.

They were speaking following a meeting in Westminster with the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Mark Burns-Williamson.

He invited all the county's MPs to the meeting, ahead of the Chancellor's Autumn Budget.

"I urged them to join me in making the case for a fairer funding deal for West Yorkshire for 2018-19 in the form of a new police settlement," said Mr Burns-Williamson.

"I was reassured to see such cross-party attendance to ensure we are working collectively to help our communities feel safe.

"Since 2010 we have seen a 20 per cent reduction in workforce, against a backdrop of a 30 per cent increase in recorded crime and a seven per cent increase in calls for service.

"Monies that would have been allocated to forces are now taken up by the Transformation Fund, which has £175m in this year over which there is minimal influence at a local level.

"Forces have to bid for that money, which is not guaranteed funding.

"The money raised by the precept was used to protect PCSO numbers and recruit constables to replace some of those we had lost."

He warns that without additional investment, the force's cash reserves will have dried up in five years.

Mr Grogan said additional Government funding was crucial for there to be any significant change in police resources locally.

"The commissioner stressed that 80 per cent of police spending in West Yorkshire comes from central Government grant and only 20 per cent from the council tax," he added.

"He also pointed out that he was using cash reserves to part fund some of the new additional police community support officers in Keighley and elsewhere."

Mr Davies described the meeting as "very useful".

He added: "We were united in our resolve to seek additional funding to support our hard-pressed police officers.

"I have asked for details of how much West Yorkshire Police spend on policing football matches, that could be reclaimed from clubs, as I want the Home Office to seek to change the law to recover this money."

He said voluntary contributions should be made from the money earned through TV rights.