TWO former parish councillors have failed in their bid to have a standards board ruling overturned.

David Holden and David Smith were found to have failed to declare a "personal and prejudicial interest" in a planning application to demolish and rebuild a barn up to 50 metres from their homes in Isherwood Fold, Edgworth.

In February, 2003, the parish council had objected to the demolition of a barn, but it was subsequently approved by Blackburn with Darwen Council.

The developers complained to the Standards Board for England about the way their application had been dealt with by parish council members.

The Standards Board, which held a two-day hearing in Blackburn into the councillors' actions, decided that Mr Holden and Mr Smith had broken the code of practice and ordered them to undergo further training.

Both men appealed against the decisions, which were upheld by the board's appeal tribunal body.

Mr Smith and Mr Holden, along with Ray Pearson and Jean Rigby, resigned from North Turton parish council in March.