A man who led a personal crusade against a local authority has quit a group founded to tackle the council on its record.

Bernard Borman's battle with Richmondshire District Council hit the headlines last month when the authority claimed it had cost at least £125,000 to fend off the retired businessman's grievances.

The council said it had faced 20 investigations by the Local Government Ombudsman, more by the district auditor, had held ten internal inquiries and faced two court hearings - all because of allegations by Mr Borman, of Leyburn, over the past eight years.

None had resulted in formal action against the authority, but Mr Borman was not alone. The Richmondshire Association of Council Tax Payers was set up after a meeting in Catterick in June, attended by disgruntled residents.

Mr Borman said he had resigned for personal reasons and still hoped the organisation would meet its goals.

Association chairman Alan Gatenby said: "A parting of the ways is to our mutual benefit. We could not have continued as we were as the association is not anti-council per se. We would much prefer to achieve our objectives through negotiation rather than confrontation."

* A meeting will be held in the Bay Horse pub in Catterick tomorrow at 7pm for a debate called Stop Wasting Our Money.