A ROW over claims made in a leaflet handed to residents in a North Somerset village has erupted on the eve of an election. Yatton parish councillors believe a political party is trying to take credit for their work in the community in the build-up to a by

A ROW over claims made in a leaflet handed to residents in a North Somerset village has erupted on the eve of an election.Yatton parish councillors believe a political party is trying to take credit for their work in the community in the build-up to a by-election next week.The councillors believe the claims made in Liberal Democrat leaflets about campaigning to slow traffic down and repair troublesome roads and pavements are unfounded. They believe this sort of work has been carried on by the parish council.In his annual report to the village, parish council chairman Richard Birch says: "It is disappointing to see the Liberal Democrats in recent newsletters seeming to claim as their own many of the developments and achievements that are rightly those of the parish council."No political party controls your parish council and this is indeed one of our great strengths. We do what we consider is best for our parishioners, and most of the time we get it right."Since his report, printed in the parish newsletter, Mr Birch has stepped down as chairman on health grounds.Whoever is elected will represent the village on North Somerset Council alongside councillors Peter Kehoe and Isabel Cummings.Cllr Cummings says the information in the campaign leaflets, which support a candidate called Wendy Griggs, is correct and the party has sought to work with the parish council.She said: "I do not believe political views should be made in a parish newsletter. The council is not entitled to do this and I do not know what was meant by it because it was so open-ended."Campaigning for work to be done to roads and the slowing down of traffic is something we work on alongside the parish council. In the campaign leaflet it actually says Wendy will work with the council to get action. The parish council has done a wonderful job and we do not want to take credit for it."The candidates up for election on June 1 are Hilary Burn, Independent; Wendy Griggs, Liberal Democrat; Jill Iles, Conservative; Bryan Moore, Labour; and Anthony Moulin, Independent. Polling stations are open from 7am-10pm.