A new drop-in centre for young people will be established in Silsden by April, a police inspector has announced.

Insp Sue Sanderson from Craven neighbourhood policing team told a meeting of Silsden Town Council that she was close to securing £10,000 for the provision, which is planned for Friday nights in the town’s youth centre.

Insp Sanderson came up with the idea after analysis of calls at the police headquarters in Wakefield showed many complaints were made about youths hanging around at weekends, in particular on a Friday night.

Insp Sanderson said: “Most of the time the young people are hanging around because there is nothing else for them to do but the perception is that they are out to cause trouble.

“We are hoping that the drop-in centre will have a pool table, comfy chairs, refreshments and will be somewhere they can go and be safe and their parents will know where they are and this will, hopefully, reduce anti-social behaviour.

“We do not want it to be structured, like school, but somewhere relaxed that they can drop into.

“We will give this a go for a year and if the hanging about does not stop then they will have no excuse and we will have to look at the alternative option which will be enforcing the law.”

But Cllr Chris Atkinson questioned whether the idea would actually work.

He said: “It is a good idea, I do not want to be the bearer of bad news, but I don’t believe it will work. The group which is causing the problem probably has everything at home but they want to be outside.”

But Cllr Tim Maddocks said: “You cannot have that argument unless you give them somewhere to go can you? You have to at least try it out first and see if it works.”

Cllr Atkinson replied that they had had a similar problem before where two or three people might be encouraged to leave the group and attend the facility but the “core” would stay outdoors.

Insp Sanderson said she had received positive feedback already from some youths and asked the council for a donation of £3,695 to help with running costs for the project.

Cllr Allan Edwards said: “We have all moaned about the kids for years and years and now the police are doing something I think we should support them.”

The council agreed to support the drop-in facility and formally vote on the funding at next month’s meeting.