THE WRANGLE over the sports centre decision took another turn this week when Coun Paul Andrews queried whether three members of the council should have declared an interest and not voted.

He claimed Coun Val Arnold should have done so, as she is also a county councillor, and North Yorkshire County Council was set to put in funding as well as giving the site.

And, he added, so should her husband, Steve, also a Ryedale councillor, by virtue of being her husband.

Coun Andrews also criticised Coun Edward Legard for not declaring an interest because, he claimed, his wife is a governor of Malton School.

"I resigned as a governor of the school last year to enable me to speak and vote on the sports centre issue," said Coun Andrews.

He believes the council's standing orders - its constitution and rules - can be lifted if a majority of councillors agree. "That would enable the matter to be reconsidered again."

Coun Andrews said: "If the Tories had opposed the sports centre plan from the start everyone would have known where they stood, especially when it came to voting at last May's elections. As it is, I believe they are in breach of an election pledge by not supporting it."

He added that he was now having talks with other councillors sympathetic to the sports centre cause on the way forward. In the meantime, he said, he was happy to support the Gazette & Herald's campaign.

Ryedale chief executive Janet Waggott, said it was up to individual councillors to decide whether to declare an interest.