TOO many spare seats round the table and not enough members at meetings has forced a York parish council to apply for a cut in its numbers.

Clifton Without Parish Council has historically had 15 members.

But, states a report to City of York Council's executive, the council has asked permission to cut the number to 12 and alter parish boundaries.

The report says the council had held meetings that were inquorate, and so no business could be done.

Parish council chairman Vic Paylor denied the cut had anything to do with apathy, saying instead it was about revitalising local democracy. The council had not previously needed to have elections because it did not have enough candidates coming forward for its 15 places to make a contest necessary.

He said: "We had been experiencing difficulties in getting parish councillors and I was anxious we get down to a comfortable number so that we can have an election. Strictly speaking we have never had democracy here because we have not had elections.

"If the numbers go down to 12 councillors we will be oversubscribed and I would expect an election to take place." Mr Paylor also said the proposed cut was linked to growing demands on peoples' time.

He said: "I think that plays a part, it can be seen in many parts of society where volunteers are involved.

"We think this is a positive step and hope it will be approved."

Council clerk Gerry Cheetham said he had been in his post since January 1977, and the council had never had 15 members in that time. "This is a common sense application, meaning it is more likely meetings will be quorate," said Mr Cheetham.

The boundary change application must go before public consultation and before city council committees before being forwarded to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. If approved it would see the whole of the Hawthorn Meadows area transferred into Clifton Without.

The application will be discussed at the city council's executive meeting on January 24.

Updated: 10:05 Monday, January 20, 2003