A PLANNING official claims she was driven out of the job she loved by lack of respect and recognition from the departing head of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.

In a blistering attack on Mrs Heather Hancock, who leaves her post as chief executive this month, Mrs Rachel Holden claims management changes led to her becoming the victim of insults, mockery and an intolerable working environment.

She says Mrs Hancock's attitude led to the resignations of at least three long-standing members of staff.

Mrs Holden, aged 28, of Barnard Castle, resigned from her post as a planning technician in April "after more than eight years of happy, loyal and efficient service.".

In a letter to the D&S Times this week, she said the decision was taken reluctantly "as a direct result of the chief executive's lack of management and people skills."

She claimed staff felt intimidated and uncomfortable because of Mrs Hancock failure to recognise their efforts or to acknowledge them in the corridor.

She also said the chief executive was unapproachable and unconcerned about her staff's wellbeing.

Mrs Holden said a "deep air of despondency" descended over the park authority offices in Bainbridge, near Hawes, and she found herself unable to defend the organisation to the public.

She told the D&S Times: "I loved my job and had hoped to stay there but the situation was intolerable.

"The former chief executive, George Hallas, knew all the staff individually and would come into the technicians' office where I worked about once a month to see how we were doing - on both a personal and professional level.

"I didn't meet Heather Hancock until a year after she started and to my knowledge she only came into our office twice in two years."

Mrs Holden considered taking the matter to the authority's formal complaints procedure but, following discussions with Coun Steve Macare, the chairman, decided not to pursue that course of action.

She hoped the authority would carry out a full investigation into the matter.

Mrs Hancock and Mr David Butterworth, the deputy chief executive, were in London on business and could not be contacted by the time the D&S Times went to press.

Mrs Holden's attack follows last week's publication of Mrs Hancock's resignation letter in the D&S Times. In her letter, Mrs Hancock spoke of the "intimidation and harassment" she had experienced during her time at the national park.