ANOTHER chapter in Leyburn's Brentwood saga seems inevitable, with residents promising a second bid to persuade the Ombudsman to intervene in the long-running row over road safety packages for the estate.

A meeting this week rejected an appeal for a public inquiry to settle the issue once and for all.

However, the Brentwood Area Residents' Association yesterday confirmed it will be seeking a review of the decision - either from the local government watchdog or the Standards Board for England.

Members of North Yorkshire County Council's Richmondshire Area Committee were warned of the likely outcome before they voted on the issue on Monday evening.

However, Councillor John Blackie dismissed the residents' association's position as "disgraceful".

He said: "To accept an about-turn now would be to undermine the credibility of the system we have followed.

"I am not prepared to hand over a decision on this matter to an independent person. We reached our position after taking professional advice from our officers and that should be good enough."

An increasingly irate Mr Blackie also claimed that the response to a questionnaire on speed humps, a 20mph speed limit and new road markings on Brentwood, Wensleydale Avenue and the neighbouring Mayfield estate suggested "clear and unequivocal" support for the county council's proposals from the majority of people who live in the area.

"I am not going to agree to policy-making under threat of the Ombudsman," he said.

"To do so would set a precedent which others would follow and caving in could suggest that the advice we have been given by our officers is unfair."

However, a statement issued by the Brentwood Area Residents' Association yesterday pointed out that the Ombudsman had already suggested that a public inquiry would be a fair way of settling the row.

It said: "The association, which has campaigned for five years, will not accept the diktat by Councillor Blackie and those who act at his behest, but will fight for their right to protect the homes.

"The matter has therefore been referred back to the Ombudsman's office and the Standards Board for England.