A RURAL council is hoping a change to its political structure will help improve its performance.

Teesdale District Council, in County Durham, looks set to experiment with having two leaders.

In a Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) last year, the authority was given a rating of poor and criticised for its political and managerial leadership.

Teesdale council is an authority without a leader and cabinet. Instead, executive decisions are made through the council's corporate strategy committee which was given increased powers following the CPA report. But, because the improvement process is not going as fast as envisaged, the council is looking at different ways to improve leadership.

The council's director of corporate service, Sue Reay, said although no final decision had been made the council had been working with the Improvement and Development Agency and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on different options for better leadership.

These have included having a smaller corporate strategy committee or having two leaders from the two largest political groups - the Labour group and the Teesdale Independents - Councillor Ken Robinson and Councillor Richard Betton respectively.

Ms Reay said: "It's always been difficult to have a leader here as no one person carries a majority.

"The two leaders is the option we're currently exploring. It's not so much giving powers to individuals, it's about giving officers something to focus on.

"When we need some direction instead of having to deal with eight people, there only would be two."

A decision is likely to be made when the full council holds its annual meeting in May.