COUNCILLORS clicked online for the first time yesterday to help them in their roles as community representatives.

Five Scarborough borough councillors are getting to grips with the latest computer technology before having their laptop computers and printers installed at home.

As part of a pilot project, councillors Peter Bull, Teddy Sulman, Jim Preston, Jim Martin and Dorothy Clegg are being trained to use the Internet and email. Coun Bull, who is leading the project, said it was essential that councillors have the right tools to do their job.

"You would not expect the senior people in one of the biggest businesses in Scarborough to do their job without the use of computers," he said.

The provision of computers to councillors is Government funded and is part of a package of measures to make the council and councillors more accessible to their electorate over the Internet.

"In the future, we expect all councillors to be able to access all the information that will help them do their job representing the community. This will include the various council agendas, reports and minutes, which will be available online to councillors," said Coun Bell.

"Eventually, this will undoubtedly result in some savings in printing and postage as less paperwork will be sent to town hall."