Dennis Ashby, of Jubilee Avenue, has slammed the council's plan to buy two new houses on the Richmond Court development, off Hilderthorpe Road, in a move costing Council Tax payers £250,000.

The houses were initially meant to encourage first-time buyers into Bridlington but the council claims it needs two of them to be converted into offices so it can leave its cramped Victoria Road premises.

Mr Ashby cannot believe the council is going ahead with the scheme and is taking to the streets with a petition.

"They just do not listen to what the residents want," said Mr Ashby. "They just push things through without discussion. I'm not against them having new offices if they need them but it is the fact that they're buying brand new houses using a lot of taxpayers money.

"They're just taking the mick – buying houses meant for first-time buyers and using taxpayers money when people are struggling to pay their own mortgages."

Deputy mayor Coun Liam Dealtry, is a surprise name on the petition opposing the new office plans.

He said: "It is my democratic right to say that I am against spending that much taxpayers' money. If there was something more financially viable I'd be much happier with it, but I just don't think the two new houses are the best way.

"I am speaking on this as a council tax payer, not as a councillor.

But Mayor Coun Tony Padwick defended the council's plan and said he believed buying the new houses was the right thing to do.

He said: "Before people sign that petition they should come and see our current offices and then they would understand why we have to move.

"We have three members of staff working a room not much bigger than my lounge, and once you take into account all the equipment and files in there it's just ridiculous."

Mayor Padwick added that the council had looked into renting town centre properties but high rent prices and the cost of refurbishment and restoration would be more expensive in the long term than buying the new houses.

"A lot of the properties in the town centre need a lot of money spent on them before we could use them as offices," said Coun Padwick. "We would need to pay for disabled access amongst other things and it's just not cost-effective.

"This way we are buying accommodation which the developer thought he would struggle to sell anyway and it will last for many years.

"There isn't an easy way to resolve this and we will just have to see how many people sign the petition."

Mr Ashby took the streets with the petitions over the weekend and many town centre shops have agreed to display them on their counters.