RESIDENTS in Hartlepool are being urged to have their say and help decide their local council's future.

The Government has recently announced changes in the way that councils will be run, to try to make decision-making simpler, faster and easier.

People in the borough will have a choice of three different options for who runs the council; a council leader and cabinet, an elected mayor and a cabinet or an elected mayor and a council manager.

All households in Hartlepool have received a copy of the council's magazine, Hartbeat, which asks them to choose one of the three options before the end of the month.

The council wishes to adopt the leader and cabinet style of governing but members want to know what residents think of the three ideas.

Chief executive of the council Brian Dinsdale said: "The consultation exercise is designed to encourage both Hartlepool residents and other stakeholders to express a view on which option should be adopted.

"These are very important choices and although hundreds of option forms have been returned there is still time for residents to send them in."

The final decision will be made in December and the Government will then be informed of Hartlepool's choice.