AN MP spoke of his disappointment yesterday after he was dropped as chairman of the board of the town's International Centre.

Liberal Democrat Phil Willis, who represents Harrogate, North Yorkshire, took on the role when he was leader of the borough council in the early 1990s.

The local authority decided to separate the conference centre from the council chamber and run the operation as an arm's-length business away from the cut and thrust of party politics.

Mr Willis was allowed to stay on as chairman after he won his seat in the House of Commons in 1997.

After taking power from the Liberal Democrats at the local elections in May this year, the Conservatives made changes.

Mr Willis was formally deposed as chairman of the board on Wednesday night.

"The board has worked hard as a team to secure the 7,000 jobs reliant upon the conference and exhibition business in the district and it is sad that a successful team is now to be broken up," said Mr Willis yesterday.

"I want to congratulate all the staff who have worked so hard and so successfully to turn what was a white elephant into Harrogate's golden goose and to create one of the most successful conference and exhibition venues in Europe.

"This year in particular will be an extremely good year for the Harrogate International Centre."

Council leader, Mike Gardner said the Liberal Democrats must have known change was inevitable after the elections.

"The system operated by the council - and established by the Liberal Democrats - was that the conference centre board should reflect the political make-up of the council," he said.

"This required the removal of a Liberal Democrat from the current board and their councillors were offered, but declined, an option to step down - even though this would have enabled the MP to retain his place on the board.

"Mr Willis also declined to resign, which forced the council's new cabinet to act," he said.