A BELEAGUERED councillor has refused to quit office over York's Derwenthorpe scheme after calls from campaigners for him to go.

Coun Jonathan Morley - who is Osbaldwick's only representative on City of York Council - made his comments after a ward meeting when a member of the public told him to resign.

Coun Morley's refusal to step down the latest chapter in a bitter war of words which has blown up following his refusal to support a public inquiry into the controversial Derwenthorpe scheme, despite strong local support for such a hearing.

Coun Morley infuriated the parish councillors by refusing to back calls by more than 800 residents for a public inquiry into the Joseph Rowntree Foundation's proposals for a 540-home model village in the area.

At the end of a ward meeting at Osbaldwick Primary School last week, local resident Mark Waters told Coun Morley he should stand down and let the people decide at a by-election.

Last month Osbaldwick Parish Council has passed a vote of no confidence in Coun Morley over his stance on the controversial Derwenthorpe scheme.

The parish also wrote to York council leader Steve Galloway to deny it ever "smeared" the ward councillor in a newsletter which it circulated in the village.

But Coun Galloway said in a statement to the Evening Press: "The parish council's latest letter adds little to the debate about their decision to use tax payers' money to fund a political attack on the local City of York Councillor.

Speaking after the meeting Coun Morley said: "I didn't stand on the issue of Derwenthorpe and I certainly have no intention of standing down on the issue of Derwenthorpe.

"I believe I am doing what's best for the people I represent, even though some of them clearly don't agree with me."

Parish council vice-chairman Malcolm Kettlestring said: "We are still hoping for a public inquiry.

"We feel Coun Morley should stand down and if not it will certainly be interesting to see what happens at the next election."

Updated: 08:43 Monday, April 25, 2005