PROPOSALS to alter radically the political make-up of several key North-East constituencies have been presented to a review of political boundaries.

The Boundary Commission for England is in Darlington for two days to hear views on its recommendations to change the political boundaries of County Durham.

Although the commission has proposed only minor alterations to the boundaries, the Conservative group has tabled wide-reaching alternatives.

The commission suggests amendments affecting only 1,446 electors between the seven seats in County Durham. It would move Faverdale and Harrowgate Hill from Tony Blair's Sedgefield seat to Alan Milburn's Darlington seat.

But yesterday, Darlington's Conservative group suggested the parliamentary boundaries should be the same as the borough boundaries - meaning the whole of Darlington would have the same MP.

This would mean that Heighington, Coniscliffe, Hurworth, Middleton St George, Sadberge and Whessoe would become part of Mr Milburn's constituency.

Mr Milburn said yesterday he agreed with the commission's recommendations.

He said: "People from Darlington see the town as distinct from the villages and there are very different issues in both areas.

"In Darlington, the percentage of people under-16 is 50 per cent higher than in surrounding areas and there is three times the rate of ethnic minorities. Burglary is double that in rural areas and criminal damage is four times as high."

Derek Foster, MP for Bishop Auckland, Kevan Jones, MP for North Durham, and Hilary Armstrong, MP for North West Durham, also backed the commission rather than the Conservatives' plans.

But Councillor Tony Richmond, Conservative group leader for Darlington, said many people in rural areas did not feel part of Sedgefield and should be included in Darlington's seat.

He said: "In the 2001 General Election campaign, I was approached by countless numbers of people who live in the rural part of the borough. They expressed surprise and disappointment that they had to vote in the Sedgefield constituency and could not vote for an MP to represent the Darlington constituency, the community in which they live."

Backing this view, Howard Steal, of High Coniscliffe, said at the meeting: "We pay our taxes to Darlington, use all the services there and in every way are linked to Darlington apart from when we vote. We feel disenfranchised. It is as though we do not count."

More views will be heard today before assistant commissioner John Fryer-Spedding retires to write his report on what should happen in the area