LANCASTER City Council chiefs wrote to a leading member of its new standards committee asking her to withdraw a controversial political leaflet, The Citizen can reveal.

MBI councillors claim that Cllr Jean Yates should have stood down from discussions on Carol's Broad's babysitting allowances because of the leaflet, circulated in Heysham, were she is fighting to retain her county council seat in elections on June 7.

The leaflet, which clearly states that it is 'printed and published by: Jean Yates, The Cliffs, Heysham' reads: "The new standards committee is obviously going to be overworked on the list now:- "MBI Geoff Knight -- use of Council Computer Allegedly to access pornography on the internet.

"MBI Carol Broad -- charging the Council £18 per hour for babysitting

"MBI Trisha Heath -- for alleged improper use of property information"

Then, underlined, it adds 'They are the weakest links... goodbye.'

Standards committee rules insist that members who have publicly commented on an issue before the standards committee should step down and not take part in discussions.

Letters were sent from Alan Kirby on March 28 and council chief executive Mark Cullinan on demanding that Cllr Yates should withdraw the leaflet and, in particular, her comments about Cllr Heath, who is not scheduled to face the standards committee.

The leaflet will form the basis of a complaints of political bias by the Independent group and a bid to overturn the standards committee decision to scrap a two-year ban on Cllr Broad taking committee chairs and a place on the new cabinet. The issue is due to go before an extraordinary meeting of the full council at Morecambe town hall next Wednesday.

Cllr Yates told The Citizen: "It is already being investigated and I am not at liberty to discuss the investigation with you."