A COUNCIL planning chairman survived a vote of no confidence by an overwhelming majority.

Bishop Auckland Labour member Barbara Laurie was given all party support against a claim by Independent councillor Ron Grogan that she had misled colleagues on Wear Valley's development control committee.

The committee ignored the advice of officers by rejecting an application from amusement arcade company J Noble to open bingo, games machines, tanning studio and a bakery and coffee shop in the former Manners butchers shop, in Newgate Street.

But the company was granted costs following a public inquiry in June when an inspector ruled the council had acted unreasonably in refusing planning permission.

Councillor Grogan said the committee's decision had wasted public money and accused Councillor Laurie of misleading other committee members. Her colleagues said they had made up their own minds about the application.

Liberal Democrat Derek Jago said: "It was the feeling of the whole committee that we did not want amusements, not especially the chairman."

Labour's Margaret Jones said: "I was against this application. I did not think it was good for the town."