COUNCILLORS have approved an initiative to encourage better voter turnouts in elections.

Darlington Borough Council has been looking at ways to improve the turnout at general, European parliamentary and local government elections.

A report into how voting numbers can be improved was considered by the authority's cabinet yesterday.

Approval was given for officers to pursue a number of initiatives, including increasing the number of wheelchair-accessible polling places, sending birthday cards to all those turning 18 to remind them of their right to vote, and making postal votes easier to use.

The initiatives should be in place by the time the next borough elections are held in 2003.