A COUNCIL has been accused by one of its own members of going against the principles of accountability, democracy and open government in a deepening row over a controversial motor racing circuit.

Richmondshire District Council has agreed to pay the legal bill for Croft Circuit, near Darlington, after backing down from a legal challenge over noise levels last year.

Critics of the council claim the figure amounts to £40,000 - the council refuses to confirm the amount given.

However, ward councillor Jane Parlour says taxpayers have a right to know how their money is spent.

She is furious the authority has signed a confidentially agreement with the circuit's bosses, which prevents the details of the deal from being published.

"This caps a whole series of meetings and events on this issue which have been handled with excessive secrecy. It makes a mockery of the authority's claims of openness," she said yesterday.

Despite representing the Croft-on-Tees ward, which includes the circuit, Coun Parlour claims she was not told of meetings with the track's management over the out-of-court settlement. Neither was she told officially of the meeting of the sub-committee, which ratified the move.

"This is taxpayers' money - paid by people who have been fighting for a better deal over noise from the circuit. I believe they have a right to know how their money is spent," said Coun Parlour.

Long-standing council critic Bernard Borman, from Leyburn, has called on the district auditor to investigate the issue, as well as a number of other allegations.

But council leader John Blackie last night insisted the administration had acted in the best interests of the majority of Richmondshire's residents.

"It's estimated the debate over Croft has already cost the council in the region of £100,000 and, if we had gone to court and lost, the total could have been considerably higher. We took the best legal advice available and decided to cut our loses."

He added: "We sympathise with those who live near the circuit and have demonstrated that by pursuing the matter this far. However, we cannot bend the rules, and must accept that our benchmark has to be the level of noise indicated as acceptable in the planning agreement which gave consent for expansion at the track.''

Croft Circuit declined to comment