A COUNCILLOR has protested after being formally warned he could be excluded from a meeting today at which controversial plans for a wind farm will be discussed.

Derwentside district councillor John Pickersgill, an Independent who represents the ward in which the wind farm is proposed, said he had been told by the council's monitoring officer he could not vote on the issue because he had prejudiced himself.

He said: "I am alleged to have said at a meeting that I do not believe any wind farms should be built in Derwentside. I was expressing the opinion of my residents.

"It is a ploy to get me off the committee because they believe I am going to talk against the application."

District councillors attending today's development control committee meeting will be recommended by officers to approve an amended application for 12 wind turbines between Tow Law and Satley.

Residents have objected, saying they would dominate the landscape.

Coun Pickersgill said: "I have been heavily lobbied by residents to support their campaign against the wind farm and I have not commented either way.

"There are questions I wanted answering at the meeting, which could have swayed me either way, but I am not going to have opportunity now.

"The residents in my ward are totally disappointed with local democracy, because of this."

District council executive director Mike Clark confirmed Coun Pickersgill was advised he might be excluded.

He said Coun Pickersgill had made a prejudicial statement, which had been minuted and recorded at a development control committee meeting in January.

Mr Clark said: "Coun Pickersgill was firmly of the opinion that the council should submit a formal objection to any wind farm development in Derwentside area."

"From a natural justice point of view, anyone looking at it from the outside might consider that his views are prejudiced."

If permission is granted, work on the wind farm is likely to start in 2007.