A FORMER parish chairman has been cleared by the Standards Board after a series of allegations were made against him.

Bert Langthorne, of Brompton Parish Council, near Northallerton, has now asked his colleagues to apologise for the way he has been treated.

A total of seven complaints were made against Coun Langthorne by the parish council.

Among the more serious allegations was an accusation that, last year, while the council was in dispute with a resident, he visited a woman and signed a blank letter for her to complete making her case against the council.

Another complaint alleged that in June 2004, Coun Langthorne made a witness statement in support of a resident who made an insurance claim against the council after suffering an injury on the village green.

The council said Coun Langthorne was present when it agreed to ask its insurers to deny liability and his actions were opposed to the council's position.

In relation to these matters, the Standards Board for England said: "In politics, members may disagree and are not bound by the majority view.

"It is not considered that Coun Langthorne's alleged actions disclose a potential breach of the Code of Conduct."

Coun Langthorne was elected as chairman of the parish council in June, but was removed from his position after three meetings.

Fellow councillors called for him to step down following a row over comments he made to the media in relation to a bereaved mother and how she tends her son's grave.

The letter from the Standards Board was discussed at a meeting of the council this week, when Coun Langthorne told colleagues: "I'm disgusted. I believe this council owes me an apology for the hassle you tried to create.

"I was disgusted when you pushed me off as chairman. This is my 46th year and I hoped to be re-elected as I want to do 50 years.

"I have worked for Brompton all my life. You have kicked the hell out of me."

Councillors replied that they were disappointed with the Standards Board's letter, but offered no apology.

Coun Langthorne, a retired farmer, also serves on Hambleton District Council.