GOVERNMENT agencies based in the North-East and North Yorkshire appear on a leaked list of taxpayer-funded bodies reportedly facing the axe.

The National Policing Improvement Agency, which has units in Crook, County Durham, and Harrogate, North Yorkshire, is one of 177 organisations to be abolished, according to the list.

Sources said last night that the agency’s work is likely to continue under another name.

Officials confirmed yesterday that the North-East would lose its own dedicated regional teenage pregnancy co-ordinator, whose work is overseen by the Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group – another agency on the list.

The post will go despite the North-East having the highest rate of teenage pregnancies in the country.

The office of teenage pregnancy co-ordinator for Yorkshire and the Humber is also being phased out.

However, the Department for Education said teenage pregnancy teams in both regions would continue to work towards the goal of reducing pregnancies among under-18s.

Six out of nine of England’s regional tobacco control teams are also being down, including the Yorkshire and Humber team.

But Fresh, the North-East’s award-winning tobacco control agency, which is partly funded by the region’s NHS as well as central Department of Health funds, has escaped the axe for now.

Peter Kelly, acting regional director of public health in the North-East, said: “Discussions are taking place about the long-term future of Fresh in line with the reforms outlined in the NHS white paper and introduction of the new public health service.”

Also facing the axe is the Teachers TV Board, which oversees the work of the Teachers TV channel and is administered at the Department for Education, at its offices in Darlington. The future of the Mowden Hall base, which employs 417 members of staff, is already in doubt after officials abandoned plans to relocate the workforce to new offices.

According to the list, a single heritage body is to replace English Heritage, the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the National Heritage Lottery Fund, which has a branch in Newcastle.

A single sports body is also proposed, replacing the Football Licensing Authority, UK Sport and Sport England, which has a regional office in Aykley Heads, Durham City.

Last night, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council leader George Dunning said the reported cuts could have other implications for the region.

He said British Waterways, which according to the list is facing the axe, had responsibility for parts of the River Tees and Tees Barrage.

“I hope local MPs, and local authorities, will subject any proposals to careful scrutiny, to ensure the public are not exposed to unnecessary additional risk,” he said.

A spokeswoman for the Cabinet Office described the leak of the document as irresponsible.

An investigation has been launched.