TWO more councillors have left the Coalition group at Richmondshire District Council.

Councillors Jim Fryer and Peter Wood will re-launch the Richmondshire Association of Independent Councillors (RAIC) as a political party.

The defection is a fresh blow for the Coalition, which lost overall control of the council in January when Councillor Roland Dent left.

Coun Wood said: "We don't have a problem with the Coalition.

"We just want to get on with the job we have been elected to do, which is to represent the people of Richmondshire."

Coun Wood said he still fully supported the office move to Colburn despite leaving the group which pushed for the relocation.

The resignations are the latest in a series of upheavals at the council in the past year.

Several members left the Conservative group and became members of two former independent groups.

These then merged to form the Independent Coalition.

Councillor John Blackie, a Conservative, was ousted as leader of the council and replaced by Councillor Bill Glover, leader of the Coalition.

The council now comprises 15 Independent Coalition for Richmondshire, nine Liberal Democrats and Associates, seven Conservatives, two RAICs and one Social Democrat.