A STEERING committee seeking to create a parish council for Aycliffe Village is to present estimates on what it will cost.

A public meeting for villagers is to be held in Aycliffe Village Primary School on Wednesday, June 9, at 7pm.

Committee member Bill Blenkinsopp said villagers will get the opportunity to question members about the proposals.

He said the committee would be guided by the feelings of people who turned up at the meeting on whether to press on with the plans.

No one from the steering committee attended a meeting called by members of Great Aycliffe Town Council last week.

Mr Blenkinsopp said members felt the meeting had been set up by those opposed to the creation of a parish council.

He said: "We thought we would just get lambasted."

Councillor Mark Vallance, the independent member for the village, did attend the meeting. He is not a member of the steering committee, but supports the formation of a parish council.

He said he felt steering committee members should have attended, but that their fears were well-founded.

Coun Vallance said: "I think if the steering committee had turned up it would have ended up in a slanging match."

He said he did not get the opportunity to present or read out a letter from the steering committee, another letter of support was ignored and questions were slanted against the group's proposals.

Coun Vallance had previously called for all those interested to put aside party differences and sit around the table to properly discuss the contentious issues.