COUNCILLORS will be asked to freeze council tax at a meeting later this month amid claims of overspending at a troubled local authority.

Residents of Peterlee organised a parish poll in a bid to encourage the town council to make savings rather than increase council tax.

They say the authority has the highest council tax bill for an authority of its kind in the country.

Last year, the council increased its precept by 7.7 per cent.

This year, councillors decreased their share of council tax by one per cent. However, resident Ian Hall, who has spent months examining the authority's finances, believes the council urgently needs to cut costs to prevent further large increases in the future or being forced to use up its reserves.

The poll asked residents: "Do you demand that the town council freezes the town council precept until 2020, that efficiency savings, equating to 30 per cent of the town council budget, are made over the next five years, and that no future increase in precept of two per cent or over can be made without a 'yes' vote from a referendum?"

A total of 421 people voted in favour of the demand, while 22 voted against, with a turnout of just 2.9 per cent.

However, Mr Hall claims there has been efforts within the town to sabotage the poll.

He said: "What has been galling is the censorship employed by some elements."

He claims posts were deleted and people blocked when they tried to advertise the poll on a popular Facebook Peterlee community group

"Posters displayed at the main exit routes from Peterlee were also removed," he added.

It is also claimed that a notice of the poll on the parish council website was illegible.

The results of the poll and the claims of sabotage will be discussed at an extraordinary meeting of Peterlee Town Council at Shotton Hall at 6.30pm on Monday, May 23.

The meeting has been called by councillors Mandy Thompson and Bill Jeffrey, who both supported the poll.

"Although the numbers were small the message was very clear and should be respected and actioned," said Cllr Thompson.

"I am determined to make that council listen to the electorate and act on the outcome."

Peterlee Town Council has been beset with problems in recent years, with a member of staff alleging she was bulled by councillors and bitter disputes between members.

The town council declined to comment on the criticisms and the result of the poll.