TORIES on the county council in North Yorkshire have hit back at criticism over the dominant party's decision to take the chairmanships of three of the five scrutiny committees on the authority.

The Labour and Liberal Democrat groups claim the Conservatives are excluding them from the decision-making process.

However, the new leader of the council, Councillor John Weighell, says he is "disappointed" by the accusations.

"I am sure members can be equally as challenging, whichever political party they come from, because, at the end of the day, they represent their own wards and will want the best services provided for the community," he said.

"The opposition groups are being mischievous, because they ask us to be more inclusive but, in Liberal-Democrat-controlled Devon and Labour-controlled Wakefield, the dominant parties took all the scrutiny chairs. We have offered them two out of five."