A PARISH council has been accused of trying to keep an election secret by not issuing polling cards to villagers.

People at Thornley go to the polls today, at the village junior school, to vote for councillors competing for three vacancies.

Brian Wilson, the village's Independent councillor on Easington District Council, claims few people know about the election because the Labour-controlled council did not have polling cards issued.

"They can ask Easington council to issue polling cards to each elector in the village, but they haven't done this," he said.

"The district council has got bills up at bus stops but they don't give times and where to vote. There are also some posters up, I've paid for some myself, but people who don't get out of the house much and don't visit the post office or library won't know about it all.

"It is the first election in the village for about 20 years. In the past, when there has been a vacancy they have just co-opted people onto the council. It is a despicable way to treat the people, and it is undemocratic. I think they are frightened of losing total control.

"When I heard there were three vacancies I got ten electors to demand an election.

"There are three seats contested by three Labour candidates and four non-Labour candidates. We'll find the turn-out will be less than ten per cent because people don't know it is on."

"The election will be held in Thornley Junior School, from 8am to 9pm."

One resident, who rang The Northern Echo to complain, said: "It's undemocratic. The elderly and the house-bound, in particular, won't know about the election.

"The parish council should have issued polling cards."

An Easington council spokeswoman said: "Under the Local Elections (Parish and Communities) Rules 1986, we are required to ask a parish council if it wants us to send out polling cards.

"We asked Thornley and they said they didn't."

Parish council chairman Gail Bland could not be contacted for comment.