VOTERS in Thornaby have overwhelmingly voted ‘yes’ to leave Stockton Borough Council.

More than 72 per cent of 4,105 voters from the town, a 32 per cent turn out, agreed that ‘Thornaby should be independent from Stockton.’

The postal vote cost about £12,000 and was organised and paid for by Thornaby Town Council.

A total of 1,545, or 27 per cent of the vote, said they wanted to stay with Stockton council.

There has been disillusionment with Stockton council over a number of issues. The authority identified two possible gypsy sites in the town out of a shortlist of six, although that proposal has now been dropped. There has also been upset across south Stockton over the large number of housing developments approved by the council.

That has led to some politicians, including leader of the Thornaby Independents, to suggest a new authority south of the Tees, which would include Yarm, Thornaby and Ingleby Barwick, be created.

The postal referendum, which involved sending ballots to 18,000 people, was completed on Saturday but there has been delay in announcing the result for the votes to be counted and then verified by the Electoral Commission.

Mayor of Thornaby and Chair of Thornaby Town Council, Cllr Sylvia Walmsley, said: “The result shows an undeniably resounding ‘yes’ to separation from Stockton. Consequently, having fulfilled our obligation to residents in holding a referendum on the issue, Thornaby Town Council now expects Stockton Borough Council to accept the will of the people of Thornaby and request a boundary review.

"Coupled with a similar result from a legitimate ballot held in Yarm last year, failure to seek a review would merely confirm an unwillingness to listen and a blatant display of contempt for local democracy.”

Last May a similar poll was held in Yarm in which 89 per cent of voters said they would prefer their town to be under Hambleton District Council’s control. However Stockton borough councillors voted against an official review for the boundary commission after hearing it would cost up to £250,000 and there would still be little chance of the Boundary Commissioning approving a transfer to Hambleton.

Previously leader of Stockton Council, Cllr Bob Cook, has stressed that residents’ surveys consistently find high satisfaction levels with the council’s services.

Did you vote? Tell us your reasons below?