EAST Riding Council leader Stephen Parnaby has launched an outspoken attack on critics of long- term plans to regenerate Bridlington.
He labelled them as "whingers and moaners", echoing a recent comment made by his deputy Jonathan Owen.
Speaking at a full council meeting, Cllr Parnaby also rounded on the TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) and its support for the recently-formed Justice 4 Bridlington campaign group.
He said the TPA was an "unelected, self-appointed group purporting to represent taxpayers" and claimed its local co-ordinator Andrew Allison was "a highly paid individual who complains without ever finding out any facts".
He also claimed the TPA co-ordinator would "join any demonstration or jump on any bandwagon to undermine the East Riding".
Today Mr Allison hit back at Cllr Parnaby.
He said: "I was at the meeting and it was nothing more than a lengthy rant against people who apparently have the cheek to question what is going on in Bridlington.
"Well, I'm afraid that is called democracy.
"He did not address any of the issues being raised, including the fact that the council's scrutiny process is not scrutinising the regeneration programme.
"As far as me being highly paid, he must know something I don't."
Cllr Parnaby said he fully supported Cllr Owen's comment and claimed the majority of people in the town remained positive about the long-term regeneration plans.
He said the council's critics "couldn't wait" to attack the authority when Tesco announced earlier this year it was shelving plans to relocate to a new site in the resort.
The move had been viewed as a key part of the £200m Bridlington Area Action Plan (AAP).
But Cllr Parnaby said a subsequent invitation for developers to submit expressions of interest in the same site had generated more than 30 responses.
He said: "I'm sorry to disappoint the knockers but that demonstrates the level of interest in investing in Bridlington.
"The AAP has always been flexible and I have never personally understood why people want to talk an area down.
"Some people are always negative but I say let the positive people carry on and make a difference."
The council recently confirmed plans to spend £20m redeveloping its Leisure World complex in the resort and say a £6.5m programme of improvements for a run-down area between Hilderthorpe Road and Bridge Street is still on track. The authority is also talking to operators over a new hotel.
