Two County Durham towns could have their boundaries redrawn as part of proposals to alter council divisions. 

Residents in Bishop Auckland and Barnard Castle have been asked to respond to proposals, which would see both towns represented by single divisions instead of being split into two. 

It comes as The Local Government Boundary Commission is currently working to reduce the number of councillors representing Durham County Council. Proposed changes already published include reducing the council to 48 divisions; nine single-councillor divisions, 28 two-councillor divisions and 11 three-councillor divisions. 

It is thought the revised boundaries will ensure councillors represent the same number of electors, and will help the council work effectively.

What are the poposed changes include?

 

  • A three-councillor Barnard Castle division, that allows us to place Barnard Castle parish in a single division. This is in contrast to the current arrangement which splits the town across two divisions.
  • A three-councillor Bishop Auckland division that incorporates the entirety of the town council within a single division.

The Northern Echo: How the ward map of County Durham could change if the proposals are approved How the ward map of County Durham could change if the proposals are approved (Image: Local Government Boundary Commission)

Launching the consultation Professor Colin Mellors, chairman of the Commission, said: “We want people in County Durham to help us.

“We have drawn up proposals for new divisions in County Durham. We want to make sure these new electoral arrangements reflect communities. We also want them to be easy to understand and convenient for local people.

“Residents and local organisations can help us do that. We would like them to let us know whether they agree with our proposals before we take final decisions.”

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A ten week consultation on the proposals will run until July 10.

The Commission has a dedicated section on its website where people can see the detail of the proposals and comment on the the names of divisions, their boundaries and the number of councillors per division. Click here for more information.