THE future is looking a little brighter for a parish council sucked into the controversy over a new code of conduct.

Westminster wanted elected members of all tiers of local government to sign documents which tie them to much the same obligations as MPs.

However, the regulations struck a nerve among many of the smaller administrations, where members have been serving their communities on a voluntary basis for decades.

Catterick Village was among those to condemn. Parish vice-chairman Ken Redhead denounced the new rules as "a bare-faced cheek" and was among five senior members to announce they would be quitting their posts in April as a result.

Chairman Margaret Tickner was concerned they would be impossible to replace, placing the future of the parish authority in jeopardy.

However, yesterday, she confirmed five individuals have indicated they are willing to step into the breach