A MAJOR shake-up which will see the Hambleton district served by fewer councillors is entering its final stages.

The authority was one of the first in the country to ask the Boundary Commission to look into reducing the number of councillors.

The plan will see the number of members shrink by 16 – from 44 to 28 – from the elections of 2015.

And the Commission has announced it is entering the final phase of the process to implement - placing the proposal before Parliament for approval.

Council leader Neville Huxtable claimed the authority was leading the way forward with the move.

"The nature of council business is changing all the time - and the need for 44 members is long gone,” he said.

“We believe that 28 councillors will provide a more streamlined service.

“Each year it will reduce costs to the council by around £110,000 in allowances, IT equipment and ancillary expenses, which at a time of austerity can only be good for Hambleton.

“And the 28 members will still be more than able to represent the district's views.”