MORE than 9,000 signatures have now been added to The Northern Echo’s petition in a bid to force a Parliamentary debate on the crippling cuts in grant facing Darlington Borough Council.

The online petition was created on Thursday, March 4, and since then thousands of people across Britain have added their names to the register.

At the 10,000 level, the Government must respond to the petition that asks those in power to reconsider its funding formula which has led the council to implement savage spending cuts.

The petition to “help save our historic market town” was started shortly after the council’s £12.5m cuts package was announced.

And more than 5,500 people in the Darlington constituency have now signed the call to action.

But signatures from as far afield as St Ives, East Londonderry, Pembrokeshire and Inverness have all been added to the total which will shortly force a Government response.

In Scotland, signatures from 50 constituency areas have been added to the growing list – leaving only nine constituencies yet to sign the petition.

The Northern Echo’s petition states: “These cuts affect not only the most vulnerable but will impact on every corner of the borough.

“Social services, children's centres, health, street cleaning and even grass cutting are among the services to be hit hardest. Iconic buildings, including Darlington’s Victorian Covered Market and Central Library face closure.

“Darlington is one example of the disproportionate public sector cuts being forced on councils across the north.”

To sign The Northern Echo's petition against the Government's crippling cuts, visit northernecho.co.uk/saveourtown