THE historic ceremonial posts of Lord Mayor of York and Sheriff of York could see two crucial Labour-held council seats opened up for major battles at the coming elections.

The current Lord Mayor, Coun David Horton, had a comfortable 657-vote majority over his nearest challenger at the last election.

But his post as Lord Mayor restricts the way he can campaign, as the role is traditionally politically neutral, while boundary changes in his Acomb ward has seen the Beckfield area added to the ward, an area in which senior Liberal Democrats say their party does well.

Coun Horton said he was still able to campaign, as long as he does not do so in the role of Lord Mayor. However, he said a busy diary of civic commitments could take up time normally spent on the campaign trail.

He said: "I can still campaign as long as I don't do so in the civic car, wearing the robes, but I have a lot of engagements, so I won't be able to get out as much as I would like. To some extent it is balanced out by the fact that I get publicity through the Evening Press.

"I will have to wait and see what happens on the day. Results will be influenced by what happens nationally and internationally."

The Sheriff, Coun Martin Brumby, had a slim 130 majority over the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives at the last election.

Coun Brumby said the Sheriff's role was expected to be apolitical, though some election campaigning was allowed.

He said: "I will go out canvassing, if there are any rules over and above that then they have not been made clear to me. I would hesitate to go to any political rally, though, unless it was clear I was doing so as the Sheriff."

Coun Brumby said he would put campaign constraints "about tenth" on the list of his concerns in any campaign for re-election.

He added: "I am more concerned about the university's campus trees application, the use of top-up loans for top-up fees and of course the possible effect of an Iraqi war."

Opposition leader Coun Steve Galloway said the battle at Heslington could be "very interesting."

He said: "We have a very young candidate there who has been campaigning hard. With some questionable traffic management decisions and green belt issues there Heslington is correctly identified as a marginal seat."

Coun Galloway said boundary changes at Acomb had made for a much more balanced ward.

He added: "The new Acomb ward comprises half of the old ward, has taken in Beckfield, traditionally good for us, and lost Chapelfields.

"Survey responses have been encouraging. Acomb could be an area, for no reason at all connected to the Lord Mayor, where a vigorous contest could take place."

Updated: 10:01 Thursday, March 13, 2003