Selby Council's ruling Tories have ditched controversial plans to supply councillors with costly laptop computers.

They say the cost cannot be justified and have opted instead for a pilot scheme involving "bog standard" desktop computers.

Council leader Mark Crane said the move would save council taxpayers more than £50,000, as well as annual ongoing costs.

When the former ruling Labour group announced their decision earlier this year to provide all 41 councillors with top-of-the-range laptops, it sparked a public outcry.

The laptops, with internet access and a printer, would have cost a total of £68,000, plus ongoing costs of £22,000 a year.

It was also planned to pay £120-a-year standing charges for a dedicated second BT line in councillors' homes, plus internet access charges of £180 a year.

The public condemnation led to the idea being deferred until after the local elections, in May, when the Conservatives wrestled power from Labour.

Coun Crane said today: "We have taken on board what the people of Selby district have said and scrapped the laptop plans put forward by Labour.

"But to push the council forward into the 21st century, we have agreed to a pilot scheme, in which six councillors will be given desktop computers costing about £600 each.

"If everything goes to plan, then all councillors will be offered a desktop computer.

"However, if they want a dedicated second BT line and internet connection, they will have to pay for them themselves."

Coun Crane said the majority of Conservative councillors - as many as 16 out of 23 - already had their own computers and would not be taking up the offer.

Independent councillor John McCartney said: "I was stunned by the original laptop proposals and think the Tories are now going down the right road.

"I have got my own computer, which I am quite happy to use for council business."

Labour councillor Steve Shaw-Wright said laptops were their preferred option in terms of maintenance and overall performance.

He said: "There's also the problem of where to put a standard computer - not everyone lives in a four-bedroom detached house."

Updated: 11:58 Thursday, June 19, 2003