RESIDENTS opposed to controversial plans for a wind farm on the edge of York attended a village meeting last night to call for the the resignation of their vicar from the parish council.

Villagers in Copmanthorpe attended the parish council meeting to speak out against the Rev Geoff Mumford after he wrote to the principal of Askham Bryan College, Liz Philip, in support for the 145-metre turbines.

But Copmanthorpe Parish Council rejected the calls for Mr Mumford to resign, saying the reverend was entitled to his opinion.

As reported in The Press yesterday, the vicar – called the Green Dean of New Ainsty Deanery by the diocese – sent an email to the principal, whose college will benefit from rental payments if the scheme goes ahead, saying he supported the windfarm.

Copmanthorpe resident David Ward, who had obtained the email, sent on February 25, via the Freedom Of Information Act, was backed by angry residents as he told councillors at the meeting, held in the local youth centre, that the vicar’s position on the parish council had become “untenable”.

He said: “He is writing in his capacity as somebody who has a responsibility to the public.”

Another resident raised concerns the vicar had publicly expressed his support only days after villagers became aware of the proposals.

But parish council chairman Peter Whitfield said Mr Mumford, who was unable to attend the meeting due to church matters, had acted in his capacity as a Copmanthorpe resident – not in his role as a parish councillor.

He said: “He was perfectly entitled to speak out as he did.”

Mr Mumford could not be contacted last night for a comment, but he had previously said he was “disappointed that some people do not appear to be open to other people’s viewpoints”.

Despite defending Mr Mumford’s right to air his views, the parish council last night agreed to officially oppose the planning application from Banks Renewables to install a 70-metre test structure on farmland to the west of Copmanthorpe before the company decides whether to proceed with a full planning application for the controversial wind farm.

A village poll conducated by the parish council revealed 170 votes against the proposal with only 13 in favour.

The test mast application is set to go before City of York Council’s west and city centre area planning sub-committee tomorrow night and has been recommended for approval by officers.

In total, 595 letters of objection have been received, with York Civic Trust among those opposing the wind farm scheme.