RESIDENTS of a new housing estate in Darlington will, politically, live in Hurworth - causing a councillor to complain to the authority's chief executive.

More than 140 homes are being built at Snipe House Farm, next to the Skerne Park estate.

But despite its proximity, and its access being through Skerne Park only, Snipe House Farm will be in Hurworth ward, rather than Park East.

It means residents will vote for Hurworth councillors, rather than Park East councillors, and be represented by Hurworth Parish Council and Hurworth Community Partnership, rather than Park East Community Partnership.

Snipe House Farm households will also pay between £5 and £15 more council tax each year than their neighbours in Skerne Park.

Yet the money paid by Snipe House farm's developers in exchange for planning permission - "Section 106 funding" - will benefit Skerne Park, not Hurworth. Among those benefits is a £100,000 "community fund".

Coun Peter Freitag, who represents Park East, believes the situation is "crazy nonsense".

Darlington Borough Council says ward boundaries are decided by the Electoral Commission.

"If there is a problem on the estate, and a resident speaks to us, it will be confusing," said Coun Freitag.

"We will have to say: 'Sorry, it's not our responsibility - speak to a councillor in a village three miles away'. It's crazy nonsense.

"And what is going to happen to the vote in Hurworth? That ward had been Tory for years, and the Liberal Democrats have worked very hard to win it back. The 149 new homes could distort that."

Coun Freitag has written to Ada Burns, the council's chief executive, with his concerns.

Coun Peter Foster, Hurworth Parish Council chairman, said: "When the development first came up, before an application came in, I said: 'You do realise this will be in Hurworth'.

"Say someone wants an extension on their house: it will have to come through Hurworth Parish Council.

"We will look after them, like we have looked after people at Railway Cottages (near Skerne Park and also in Hurworth ward). They will have rural representation in an urban area."

The council has no power to change the boundary, even if it wanted to, a spokesman said