A LOCAL authority was accused of being a “boy’s club” after three women failed in their bid to join it.

Northallerton Town Council was berated in mid-meeting by irate Ruby Davison after it co-opted new members to join its ranks.

Mrs Davison was among the seven who put their name forward for one of the four seats that were available on the council.

Of the candidates four were male and three were female and each made a short presentation to the existing councillors who then voted in a secret ballot.

But none of the seats went to a female candidate – much to Mrs Davison’s dismay.

“It’s a boy’s club this is,” she told the council. “This is not sour grapes but it is disgraceful.”

Afterwards she stressed that her comments had not been sour grapes because she had not been chosen for co-option.

“I just think it is unfortunate that there were three woman on the list to be cop-opted but the four men on the list were co-opted.”

She added: “It’s definitely the ‘old boys’ network and boys’ club.”

Of the 12 councillors that make up Northallerton Town Council there is now only one woman, Claire Palmer.