TIMES for Ryedale District Council meetings are to remain unchanged despite pleas by two new members that they had difficulty in attending them so early.

Coun Stephen Preston wanted to put the start of meetings back to 7.30pm because the present early start of 6pm for committees and 6.30pm for the full council was a problem for members like himself who had a full-time job.

But Coun Allin Jenkins said that at the pre-election meetings held at Ryedale House for would-be candidates, some had decided not to stand for election to the council because of the timing of the meetings. It would now be unfair on those people to change the times, because had a later time been known before May 1, some of the candidates could have stood.

Coun Linda Cowling said it would be unfair on council staff who, having worked a full day, would have to work well into the evening - a view echoed by chief executive Harold Mosley, who said the later meetings would have staff resource implications.

Other councillors pointed out that a recent planning meeting had lasted four-and-a-half hours after a 6pm start, and that the council meeting itself on Thursday was still going after three-and-a-half hours.

A compromise start time of 7pm was also rejected.

Updated: 08:41 Monday, June 30, 2003