A MAYOR who will be handing in his resignation this week due to pressure from his electors has told of his determination to give his total commitment in his role as a district councillor.

Councillor Peter Wood spoke yesterday of his sadness that he will be standing down from his role as Mayor of Colburn later this week.

But after a bitter dispute with some residents over his backing of plans for a waste station in the town and a subsequent vote of no confidence in him, he said his position had become untenable.

"The idea of me resigning as mayor is because I want the town council to get on with its job. I don't want this personal vendetta against me for the next nine months," he said.

"I just had to get out of the town council and so we can both get past this."

Coun Wood had been in support of proposals for a waste station on part of the town's lorry park, despite hundreds of local residents objecting to the plans.

Permission for the waste station was granted at a Richmondshire District Council meeting last month and Coun Wood reaffirmed his support yesterday saying the station would help the authority meet government recycling targets.

He said his resignation was not an admission of any wrongdoing, but just an acceptance that he had lost the confidence and respect of some of the residents.

"Colburn has a population of more than 2,500 people and I came into my second term as mayor this year with a 70 per cent vote," he said.

"There are a lot of people who did not sign the petition for a vote of no confidence in me, and there are even more people who understand why I supported the waste station proposals.

"Therefore I can say with confidence that I will continue to represent Colburn on the district council and I will give it 110 per cent."

Coun Wood will hand in his resignation as mayor at a meeting on Thursday and a temporary secretary will be voted in place before a new mayor is elected.