Village wins campaign for council

Almost 300 residents of West Auckland, near Bishop Auckland, backed a campaign calling for the formation of a parish council.

A series of public meetings were held and a parish council steering group formed to gather names on a petition in favour of the proposal.

The campaign and petition was taken to Wear Valley District Council which has approved the idea and passed it to the relevant Government department for consideration.

The plans have already been approved by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Margaret Beckett.

If Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott rubber-stamps the final details the new council will be created in the spring, with the election on May 1.

There will be two wards, known as ward one and two, divided by Darlington Road each with six representatives.

Wear Valley District councillor John Ferguson, a member of the steering committee, said: "We are delighted that the minister has awarded parish council status. I'm certain a parish council can only be a good thing for the community of West Auckland.

"It will give the village greater independence and more say over local issues.

"West Auckland has always had several voluntary groups but never one that works for the village as a whole."

The formation of a parish council will also give the village more control over how money is spent in the area as it will have its own funds.

Coun Ferguson said: "It is unclear how much money the parish council will have control of but it will certainly be beneficial for villagers, through their elected representatives, to have their say how it is spent.

"Nobody knows what a community needs more than the people who live there."

Campaigners also hope that a parish council will have a greater influence over district matters such as planning applications.

It was a dispute over plans for a meat processing factory that initially raised the call for greater independence and input in local issues.