A CONTROVERSIAL plan to supply Selby councillors with costly laptop computers has been shelved.

The move came after Selby District Council's scrutiny committee decided to "call in" the decision - the first time it had ever exercised such powers.

The scheme had been condemned by some councillors and members of the public who objected to the use of taxpayers' money.

Now any decision about the computers has been deferred until after local government elections in May.

In addition, any decision would require:

A properly-monitored pilot scheme being implemented

An audit of hardware, software and training needs of all councillors conducted

A report based on this information written, addressing the need for councillors to conduct their work electronically.

Scrutiny committee chairman Brian Percival said: "The message is that we welcome e-government but the offer to provide everyone with a laptop was a gross waste of money.

"What we want to ensure is good value for money so the decision to accept our proposals is good housekeeping by the council."

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

The council had also planned to pay £120 a year standing charges for a dedicated second BT line in the homes of all 41 councillors, plus internet access charges of £180 a year.

Nearly £13,000 a year would have been put into a special reserve fund to renew the laptops every four years in order to keep up with the latest technology.

But a pilot scheme set up in March 2001 gave very little indication of the necessity for this expenditure.

Only two members took PCs and there was no monitoring or evaluation of councillors' needs.

The money for the laptops would have come out of a £400,000 government grant for compliance with e-government targets by 2005.

Vocal opponent of the scheme, Coun John McCartney (Ind), said: "I was actually quite stunned when the proposals went through.

"Now we can properly research the scheme and how it can be justified.

"If I can justify it to the man on the street then I have no problem with it. But I clearly couldn't."

But Coun Steve Shaw-Wright (Lab) said: "I think it is a very misguided decision that has been taken. I feel we are just delaying the inevitable.

"This is not money we can spendelsewhere. We either spend somebody else's money or spend our own."

He added: "I am particularly concerned that we had members of the working group who decided to vote against it.

"I think that some councillors had the coming elections in mind."

Updated: 12:01 Saturday, March 15, 2003