Members of the Yorkshire Dales National Park were due to elect a new chairman today, following the resignation in July of County Councillor Robert Heseltine.

Coun Heseltine, of Skipton, was chairman of the national park for 11 years and a leading figure among the 11 national park chairmen throughout England and Wales.

He is the subject of a police investigation which was launched in May following a probe by national park officers into claims for expenses and travelling.

Coun Heseltine, 55, who is also a Craven district councillor and faces re-election in May next year, has not been charged and was bailed by police pending the outcome of the investigation.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said today that Coun Heseltine was due to appear at Skipton on Thursday to answer his bail.

A YDNP spokesman said nominations for chairman were expected to be taken before the meeting began in Hawes and the vote taken on a show of hands.

The vote was postponed at the August annual meeting when two nominees - County Councillor Shelagh Marshall, who represents Skipton, and County Councillor Steve Macare, of Richmond, received 11 votes each.

"It was decided to postpone the election until the September meeting when there would be new members joining the national park for the first time following the local elections in May,'' he said.

The election of chairman and deputy chairman is held every 12 months, with the 26 members of the authority eligible to vote.

Members are to debate a recommendation that the authority should urge the Government to ban motor vehicles from all green lanes in the national park.

Environmentalists have been calling for restrictions on the use of ancient lanes - like Mastiles Lane near Malham - which have suffered severe damage from four-wheeled vehicles churning up the surface.

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