A MISSING petition and misleading public notice has led to Darlington Borough Council being accused of maladministration.

It is being called to account over its handling of an application to extend the hours of a public entertainment licence for the function rooms at the Reynolds Arena, Darlington Football Club's new stadium.

Jan Mazurk, of the Neasham Road residents' action group, said she had complained to the council chief executive, Barry Keel, and the Local Government Ombudsman about what she considered to be a case of maladministration.

Protestors say a public newspaper notice dated June 13 - and headed Darlington Borough Council - was published by Darlington Football Club, asking for objections to be sent to the council's chief executive within 14 days.

A 130-name petition and seven letters were delivered to the Town Hall on Tuesday, June 24, by objectors. They were unaware that the licensing committee was meeting the following day to decide the issue - apparently 48 hours before the end of the consultation period.

Members granted the extension of music and dancing hours to 12.30am, Monday to Friday, and midnight on Sunday, without seeing the objections.

Barry Pearson, licensing manager, told the D&S Times on Monday: "The petition never turned up at my office and I don't know where it is."

It was lone objector, Eric Tunstall, who informed the committee that there was a petition, and reception staff told Mr Pearson the missing missives should have gone immediately to his director.

"It can't have got through to him as it has not yet arrived," he added.

Chairman, Coun Isabel Hartley. said she called a planning officer to explain the situation to Mr Tunstall - that the application only referred to two function suites, which could be hired for special occasions.

"We did not know the wording of the petition or the number of people who signed it, but the objector gave us to understand that it referred to a rock concert or that type of thing.

"I did actually think it might be better if we deferred it for the petition to surface. I talked it over with the vice-chairman and one or two other members of my group and, when we looked at the detail of the application, we decided to go ahead.

"There was a feeling that this was a bit of a storm in a teacup or perhaps a misunderstanding on the part of the objectors."

Mrs Mazurk said they had objected because the original agreement specified music and dancing up to only 11pm weekdays and 10.30 on Sunday. They felt it was wrong to extend the hours before the building was even open, without any opportunity to assess noise levels.

Darlington magistrates are due to decide the hours for a drinks licence on Tuesday, but residents have been told it will be deferred for police comment because of their petition and letters of objection.

Their receipt was officially acknowledged by magistrates on June 25, but nothing has been received from the borough council.

A council spokeswoman said there had been no indication that the petition or letters had been intended for the June 25 meeting when they were delivered to the appropriate director.

She added: "The council did not require the public notice to be published.