SENIOR Hambleton councillors have rejected a call for them to consider moving the site of the successful farmers' market at Northallerton.

The suggestion was made by a council scrutiny committee, which examined problems associated with the temporary move of a taxi rank during the farmers' event, held once a month around the town hall alongside the regular Wednesday market.

The environment and economy overview and scrutiny committee found, among other issues, concern that farmers' market vehicles caused a hazard to pedestrians and that hirers of the town hall experienced difficulties at a loading bay because of the siting of some stalls.

The committee received complaints that the farmers' market was causing problems for taxi drivers, some of whom chose not to work when it was taking place.

When the council cabinet received the results of the review on Tuesday, however, it was told that the committee had exceeded its remit in suggesting that the location of the farmers' market should be reconsidered.

Coun David Blades, who called for tolerance by taxi drivers, said: "Moving the farmers' market is not an item. The farmers' market was not consulted and it was not in the committee brief to discuss it at all.

"We are talking about one day a month. Business has picked up on both sides of the High Street. This recommendation should be scrapped."

Coun Ralph Andrew, who felt that a more comprehensive report on parking issues was needed, said: ''The farmers' market has gone from nearly dying to being a very big success and is expanding behind the town hall and causing problems for people needing the town hall."

The cabinet agreed that steps should be taken to ensure that a loading bay next to the temporary taxi rank should be kept clear of stalls.

It was also decided that Hambleton should implement improved signing directing people to the temporary rank and that the town council should be approached about the removal of a planter blocking pedestrian access near the farmers' market.

* The committee chairman Coun Tony Hall told the cabinet that the idea of a farmers' market at Bedale was now considered "stone dead".

Farmers operating alongside other Tuesday stallholders pulled out a year ago, and Coun Hall, whose committee has just conducted the third review of Bedale market in his five years on the council, said: ''There is clearly not the will for farmers to attend Bedale. They have made a commercial decision to go elsewhere.''

The committee report followed previous ones which tried to address ways of halting the decline in Bedale market, but Coun Neville Huxtable told the cabinet: "I am disappointed that we are discussing this yet again. We have not moved forward an inch.

"Previous issues have not been addressed, so why are we wasting our time? The situation is the same as it was three years ago."

It was agreed to start discussions to find out whether the town council would be interested in taking over the market, though it was stressed that Hambleton was not trying to shirk responsibility.

Coun Ralph Andrew, who thought a different approach was needed, said: "The town council may come up with ideas and be more involved to try to make it work."

It was also agreed to ask the highways department to examine conflict between market stalls and car parking spaces and to have regular market day advertisements in the council newspaper.

It was decided that the question of a town centre manager could be addressed through the scrutiny committee system