TWO independent members have been appointed to oversee the conduct of Teesside councillors.

Freda Robinson, from Billingham, and Edna Chapman, from Eaglescliffe, have joined Stockton Borough Council's standards committee, which monitors the conduct of borough, parish and town councillors and ensures they are properly trained.

Francis Hayes, who has been the committee's chairman since its inception in 1999, has been re-appointed to the board, along with parish council representatives Tom Bowman, from Ingleby Barwick, and Walter Hedley, from Stillington.

These five independent members are balanced by five members of Stockton council, councillors Jennie Beaumont, Ross Patterson, John Fletcher, Norman Teasdale and Paul Baker.

The appointments run until August 2007 for the independent members and December 2007 for the others.