A COUNCIL is planning to make changes to the way it makes decisions.

Teesdale District Council is considering changing its committee structure.

The council had been labelled "poor'" following a Comprehensive Performance Assessment report last year and criticised for its weak political and managerial leadership.

Since then, the council has established the new positions of leader and deputy leader and there has been a change of chief executive.

The proposals have been suggested by the interim chief executive, Kingsley Smith.

Head of democratic services Mike Dennis said: "It is considered that the existing structure of a corporate strategy committee, two policy committees, and an overview and scrutiny committee is too cumbersome and confusing."

It is proposed that the council's two policy committees, the corporate services and community services committees, are replaced by a single executive of eight members.

This would take the place of the existing corporate strategy committee.

The 24 councillors who are not on the executive committee would sit on the overview and scrutiny committee.

This would be made up of four panels of six members responsible for community, development, environment and governance.

The proposals are to be discussed by the corporate strategy committee and the overview and scrutiny committee on Wednesday. The full council must also agree.