RESPONSIBILITY for work on vital flood defences dogged by delays rests squarely with the district council, town councillors have said.

The comments came after a statement from Ryedale District Council was released detailing the work still to be carried out on the Mill Beck pumping station. Work on the scheme was delayed by several weeks after a disagreement between sub contractors Transco and Interserve.

In a statement to Norton Town Council, project manager Dave Summers said: "The time taken for this necessary element of the scheme is completely out of the council's control.

"An unfortunate consequence of this is that a start on the council's flood defence scheme has also been delayed."

Mr Summers stated that the scheme should be finished before the end of November.

But Councillor David Lloyd-Williams said he knew who should be shouldering at least some of the blame over why the project had been so delayed.

"I think if you are the main instigator of a project then you make sure from the start that all the sub-contractors and work necessary to start your contract is in order," he told councillors at Monday night's meeting.

"The responsibility rests with the prime mover, which is the district council. They maybe should have rapped a few knuckles before they did."

Coun Di Keal, whose home on St Nicholas Street was flooded twice, said that Interserve's work on other flood defence measures was well on track and expected to be finished on schedule.

Coun Lloyd-Williams added: "At the end of the day, people's homes were being flooded, but the work is now being pushed through."

Retained firefighters in Malton and Norton have been given a fundraising boost thanks to Norton Town Council.

Councillors agreed at Monday night's meeting to donate £500 to buy much-needed hydraulic rescue equipment for the part-time rescuers.

In a letter to the council, sub-officer Ian Birkett outlined the need for the specialist cutting tools.

"This equipment costs approximately £6,000 and it is our aim to try and raise this money so that we can provide the public of Malton and the surrounding area with the best service possible," he wrote.

"The new equipment is much more powerful, quicker and easier to use, resulting in released casualties in less time, thus offering a greater chance of survival."

Norton Town Mayor Coun Keith Mennell said he would be pleased to donate the money to such a vital cause.

"I think we should certainly support this," he said.

"Who knows - anyone of us could be trapped in a vehicle, and very often it can be a matter of life or death."

Coun David Lloyd-Williams added: "I think it is quite important that we give our firemen the quality of equipment they require, especially those who are doing it as people who are called in."

Norton Town Councillor Stephen Shaw has resigned from the town council.

Mr Shaw, who runs Fine Food Theatre in Malton Market Place, blamed time constraints. He said he felt he could no longer donate enough of his attention to the town council.

In a letter read out by town clerk Roger King at Monday night's council meeting, Mr Shaw wrote: "It has become clear to me that the increasing demands on my time make it difficult to attend the council meetings on a regular basis and the outside organisations too which I have been nominated.

"I feel it is in the best interest of the council to appoint someone who can attend more regularly."

He added: "I trust you will pass on my apologies to other members and my thanks for their understanding over the recent months for my irregular attendance."

Updated: 09:38 Wednesday, September 18, 2002