SENIOR Labour figures are at loggerheads over the timing of elections to a new super council for County Durham.

Labour MP Kevan Jones, with the backing of opposition councillors, is calling for elections to the new unitary authority to be held as early as next May, while members of Durham County Council's ruling Labour Group want the elections for the delayed until 2009.

The Government intends scrapping the existing two-tier system of seven district councils and one county council in Durham and replace them with a single authority responsible for all council services which, subject to a legal challenge, will be set up by 2009.

Ministers are thought to favour holding elections to a shadow authority in 2008 which would oversee the transition, but a specially convened meeting of Durham County Council's cabinet today agreed to recommend to the Government that the election be held a year later.

Coun Bob Pendlebury (Lab) said the later election would give staff reassurance and would give more time for considered thought on the changes.

However, Coun Denis Southwell (Lib Dem) told the meeting: "There is no reason why it should not be held in 2008. The process of local government has proved to be divisive in the county council."

After the meeting, Kevan Jones, MP for North Durham and a supporter of the unitary authority bid, argued for elections to be held next year.

He said: "Clearly we have to give the people of Durham a mandate for the new authority. The message is 'get on with it'. You have to involve the people."

Mr Jones, Durham MP Roberta Blackman-Woods and Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson have written to the Government calling for elections in 2008.

Coun Fraser Reynolds, leader of Lib Dem controlled Durham City Council which is one of the authorities mounting a legal challenge to halt the process, said: "For a new unitary authority to truly represent the people of Durham, it needs to have elections in 2008 and the councillors elected need to form a shadow authority which will shape the structure of the new authority in consultation with the people of Durham."

At today's meeting, Independent county councillor John Shuttleworth renewed calls for an assurance that the new authority would retain the name Durham County Council, claiming any change of name could cost taxpayers up to £4m to change council signs and vehicle livery.

He said: "I now have written confirmation from Communities Minister John Healey that the new name must end with the words county council."

Council leader Councillor Albert Nugent said it was a matter for the new authority what the new council was called.