A REJECTED mayoral candidate last night called for a council to move forward with ambitious regeneration plans - but only with full public support.

Councillor Anne Higgins, who believes she will not be elected mayor of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council this week because of her opposition to elements of a redevelopment plan, urged the local authority to "govern, not dictate".

As exclusively revealed in The Northern Echo on Saturday, Coun Mrs Higgins, the deputy mayor for Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, was told by the council's ruling coalition that she will not be the next mayor.

Eston independent councillor Mrs Higgins voiced her concerns as the council unveiled a masterplan for the Greater Eston area, which, it claims, could bring in investment of more than £150m.

Coun Higgins said: "We know there must be regeneration for this area, but our concern is it must take on board all the communities in the Greater Eston area. The council should govern not rule, not dictate."

At the heart of the controversial redevelopment scheme, is the bitterly-opposed planned demolition of more than 1,000 terrace town houses in South Bank.

There are plans to build about 900 placement homes on the edge of the community.

Yesterday's announcement that the council is ready to go ahead with the project, comes only three weeks after South Bank residents urged the council, at a packed public meeting, to rethink the plan.

Reacting to the council's masterplan unveiling yesterday, Eunice Smith, one of the organisers of the public meeting, said: "It is absolutely disgusting. This proves the council has not listened to us. There is such a lot of opposition to this."

Councillor Chris Abbott, the council's cabinet member for housing and neighbourhood renewal, said: "This is not a quick fix - this is a well thought out, reasoned vision that will transform the lives of thousands of our residents. And it's going to happen.

"We are not blind to the fact that many people have not been convinced about previous regeneration initiatives. But we all believe this time it's the right way forward."

New schools, leisure services and shops are proposed.