A COUNCILLOR'S life must be an easy one, we could be forgiven for thinking.

You get elected (not too difficult with today's low turnout), take an active interest in local affairs, attend the requisite number of meetings and collect your allowance.

Simple really, until some truly controversial issue - such as a the siting of a waste plant, for example - blows up on your patch. What does the councillor do?

The easy thing is to reflect the opinion of your outraged constituents. You help organise the anti-campaign, present the petition to council and call in the local MP. As a result you will be feted and lauded by your constituents and duly re-elected next time round.

But trouble looms when you believe your constituents are wrong and that your ward is the best location for whatever - waste plant, tip, sewage works or housing estate - is being opposed. To have the courage of your convictions and face the wrath of the electorate takes some doing.

Coun Robin Simpson, the ward member for Stainton Grove on Teesdale District Council, and the Mayor of Colburn, Coun Peter Wood, both find themselves in this position. Both have supported plans to site waste plants in their wards because they believe the location is the best available. Both defend their positions in this week's D&S.

We do not offer comment here on the merits or otherwise of the proposed waste schemes, but we do think the two councillors deserve praise for going against the grain and standing up for what they believe to be right, however uncomfortable that might be.

They deserves their electors' respect for that.