AN investigation into differences between the health of people in the east and west of Royston is underway.
Coun Tim Cheetham said there is evidence people in the east have a lower life expectancy than people in the west and asked the council's environment group to investigate why.
Monckton Coke and Chemical plant was the main talking point at a meeting on Monday but chairman Coun Graham Kyte said there was no evidence the plant was to blame and he asked everyone to treat it with an 'open mind'.
One member asked Coun Cheetham what he felt about the threat to jobs if the plant was found to be the cause of the problem.
He said: "I'm clear on this. Anyone can do business in Royston if they can do it without polluting the air. If they can't do it without polluting the air, then they can't do it."
He acknowledged the plant had been there for 130 years, and in the past it had not been highlighted as a problem because there were so many pits and other heavy industry it was all part of the same smoke and smog.
He said: "It wasn't a problem then, but times have changed. If it was on the edge of a village in Kent, where they hadn't had to put up with that for all those years we have, then they wouldn't be putting up with it now."
He said it was essentially a 'rural village' surrounded by green belt so it should not be one of the most polluted areas in Barnsley.
The group had only an introductory discussion about the problem - it will be the main item at its next meeting where experts and officials will be called as witnesses.
