Residents' group feels councillors warned off incinerator plan

The Dalton Incinerator Steering Committee (Disc) is against proposals which may see an incinerator built on Dalton Airfield Industrial Estate, near Thirsk.

As part of a long running campaign against the North Yorkshire County Council plan Disc targeted all 72 county councillors.

They asked them for their views on the plans ahead of the June 4 county elections.

David Andrews, chairman of Disc claims the council’s assistant chief executive Carole Dunn (legal and democratic services) has written to each member saying they should not comment.

He said: "The reason we are opposing the plans is that we care about our environment and the people who live here.

"As far we we’re concerned this is not a political issue, it’s a human issue which directly involves the very people who elect the county councillors.

"I think it’s disgraceful that those councillors should now be told they aren’t allowed to support the views of the people who voted them into power.

"Surely their first responsibility should be to those people, not to politics."

Disc is calling on the council to retract the statement and it is threatening to ask the local government ombudsman to view it.

A council spokesman said: "Councillors have been advised by the county council’s legal officers that in relation to the questionnaire circulated by DISC they must bear in mind any future decisions they might have to take for the council on waste management.

"If they are to be involved in decision making on any particular issue they must show that they have an open mind to the merits of any argument relating to it.

"It is not a problem for members to be predisposed - ie to hold a preliminary view in favour or against an issue - but they must not appear to have already decided in advance how they will vote on a matter so that nothing will change their mind.

"Guidance given to councillors reflects the guidance by the Standards Board for England."