COUNCILLORS who gave the go-ahead for an inquiry into why an asbestos report at a North-East leisure centre was ignored for five years, putting workers' health at risk, have been told lessons must be learned.

At a meeting last night, members of Wear Valley District Council agreed to begin an investigation to establish what happened to the 2001 survey.

Officers failed to remove the dangerous materials, or even warn staff members who worked at the Woodhouse Close Leisure Complex, in Bishop Auckland.

After an £18,000 fine from the Government's Health and Safety Executive (HSE), a belated public apology from council bosses, and scathing criticism from the region's MPs and MEPs, a full public inquiry will now take place.

At the behest of the council's chief executive, Michael Laing, a new panel has been set up, consisting of officers and councillors, to look into the events of 2001 and to come up with recommendations to make sure it will not happen again.

At a meeting at Crook Civic Centre last night, Mr Laing said: "Committee will be aware of the health and safety issue at Woodhouse Close Leisure Centre. The council needs to learn lessons from this event.

"I propose the health and safety panel consider an inquiry that will be as open and transparent as possible."

The council told magistrates in Darlington last month that all of the executive officers in charge at the time have now left the authority.

HSE inspector Richard Bishop described the risk to the health of affected workers as 'significant' and said the incident was the worst he had investigated.

It is thought members of the public were not put at risk, as the asbestos was in the centre's boiler room.

At last night's meeting, committee members also approved a £50,000 budget to tackle health and safety issues, and agreed to set aside £10,000 to pay for an external consultant to carry out annual inspections.

Councillor John Shuttleworth said: "The chain of responsibility will never be established without a properl inquiry. The previous administration failed in its statutory duty to employees and the community at large.

"I think, if there was no conviction and no publicity, we probably would have known nothing of the matter. It is vitally important that some credibility is restored."

The exact make-up of the panel and the nature of the inquiry will be decided at a meeting on October 16.