SENIOR North Yorkshire councillors have refused to get involved in a bitter row over traffic calming measures being proposed on a housing estate at Leyburn.

Members of the council executive decided this week that they had no mandate to interfere with a controversial decision made by an area committee concerning future traffic arrangements on Brentwood estate.

The Brentwood Area Residents' Association, which represents some local people, has claimed the county council acted "shabbily and outside the law" when its Richmondshire area committee refused in January to support a call for a local inquiry into the traffic calming scheme and agreed that it should proceed to detailed design stage.

A formal complaint has been made against County Coun John Blackie in connection with the issue by Brentwood resident Bernard Borman who, it is understood, is also trying to bring judicial review proceedings against the council.

The complaint is due to be considered by the council standards committee on April 8 but Coun Blackie, who addressed the area committee, maintained this week that he was being subjected to a campaign of vilification, false accusation and innuendo by those adamantly opposed to officers' recommendations.

Brentwood residents sent a petition to the county council in 1996 because they were concerned about their cul-de-sac becoming a through road. It has been connected to Wensleydale Avenue because of development on adjoining land.

The residents' association, which wants the cul-de-sac restored, suggested detachable and lockable bollards, with keys for the emergency services.

The Richmondshire area committee, however, favoured a traffic calming scheme involving a 20mph zone, warning signs and speed cushions to protect both schoolchildren and adults.

During consultations which included the residents' association, 294 questionnaires were distributed, of which 157 were returned, showing 73pc of respondents supporting the principle of traffic calming and 21pc against.

Introduction of a 20mph limit was backed by 78pc, with 16pc against. Support for the overall proposals was 68pc with 24pc against.

Before the area committee made its final decision on January 21 a number of representations were made calling for a local inquiry, an option open to the council under the 1980 Highways Act when a scheme involves speed humps and has brought objections.

After the traffic calming scheme was approved, the residents' association demanded a meeting with the executive and with Coun Roger Harrison-Topham, the local member, because it was claimed there was prejudice on the area committee.

But the request was firmly rejected by the executive on Tuesday, when Coun Peter Sowray, who has responsibility for the environment, said: "We should not be in the business of overruling an area committee. We should leave this in the hands of legal officers and keep out of it."

Head of legal services Richard Daly said the area committee had delegated power to decide such issues and did not need executive approval. He did not believe the committee's decision-making on Brentwood was flawed in any way.

Coun Blackie, who is not an executive member, said consideration of the issue ahead of the standards committee meeting could be highly prejudicial to his case, particularly if the executive agreed to meet the residents' association