CONCERNS about awarding a contract for the restoration of Darlington's South Park are likely to be raised at a council meeting tonight.

A proposal to waive the contract rules for the project is to be discussed at a meeting of Darlington Borough Council.

The park, which has been neglected for years, is to be restored to its 19th Century splendour at a cost of £3.9m.

The project has been awarded a £2.9m Heritage Lottery Fund grant, but the rest of the bill will be met by Darlington council tax payers.

The authority says work does not need to go out to tender because existing contractors, which have done much of the initial design work, are most suitable for the project.

But Councillor Bill Stenson says the scheme should still be put out to tender.

He said: "It is time the park was restored, because they have allowed it to get into such a dilapidated state over the years.

"But I am concerned because people have been ringing me and asking if it is going out to tender.

"The grant money is there, and that is fair enough, but it is the other million that worries me, because it is a lot of money."

A spokesman for the borough council said the issue would be fully debated at the meeting, which is due to start at 6pm.