IT'S hard not to sympathise with the rebel councillors of Aiskew and Leeming Bar. Faced with what they believe is an onerous code of conduct, requiring they register details of their financial affairs, employers, membership of organisations and gifts of more than £25, they have effectively resigned en masse.

The parish councillors' code of conduct, introduced by the 2000 Local Government Act, has to be signed by all parish councillors by July. Those who refuse to sign, including the Aiskew and Leeming seven, will be disqualified from office.

The North Yorkshire councillors' concerns are echoed on the other side of the Tees where the Darlington Association of Parish Councils has expressed similar unhappiness.

The councillors want to know why they should have to jump through this hoop when they are paid nothing to discharge their duties and the sums of public money and the powers they have are tiny. The code of conduct appears to be a sledgehammer being employed to crack a very small nut indeed.

That may be the case at present but the Government clearly wants parish councils to take themselves more seriously. Payments to parish councillors are already under active consideration and there is also talk of greater power being devolved to them.

That is not necessarily a bad thing. Some communities have not been well-served by councillors who have not treated the role with the respect they should have. But the vast majority of parish councillors do and they feel as if they are being targeted by this measure.

The Government's intentions in this are honourablebut it is a pity this code has been imposed before the powers and responsibilities of parish councils have been enhanced. There may be many more resignations between now and July.