A BY-ELECTION will take place in the Skipton East ward of the county council after Robert Heseltine resigned his seat this week.

Coun Heseltine, who has represented the ward for 25 years, quit after criticism from the county council's standards committee in the wake of his recent court case in which he admitted false accounting in relation to expenses claims.

George Sigsworth, the chairman of the committee issued a statement which said: "Despite recognising the public service he has given over 25 years, the county council's standards committee, having carefully considered the judgement of the court and having taken into account representations made by and on behalf of Coun Heseltine, unanimously reached the conclusion that, by his actions referred to in the judge's sentencing remarks, County Coun Heseltine had brought the county council into disrepute."

Having been informed of the committee's decision, Mr Heseltine announced his immediate resignation from the county council. Last week Mr Heseltine left the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and last month, before his court appearance, he failed to regain his seat on Craven District Council. He was due to defend his county seat in elections set for May 2001 but now there will be a by-election. Labour leader Mick Haigh said he welcomed Mr Heseltine's decision to resign and added that Labour had hopes of winning the seat.

Mr Heseltine told the Herald he had received numerous letters of support and commiserations and had even received unsolicited money, presumably to pay off the compensation. He said he was surprised and touched by this reaction and would round up the sum received to the nearest £100 and give the money to the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust charity.