STANLEY COUNCIL

THE long-term impact that soon-to-be-created Stanley Town Council will have will be tremendous.

You only have to look at the impact town and parish councils have had on places such as Seaham and Shildon.

It will take time to get it established and there will inevitably be a cost to the council taxpayers, but this should be nowhere near the 17 per cent increase Councillor Alex Watson, of Derwentside District Council, is forecasting.

Having a town council will mean the elected representatives will be closer to the people and give them a stronger voice and greater control in the affairs which affect them and their town.

If proof were needed that this is necessary, just look at the way Derwentside council rode roughshod over the residents of Stanley and sold almost 50 per cent of the park to a developer to build a care home. In another instance, Derwentside council approved 169 homes and then prevented the road access being built against the advice of their own officers, the County Highway Authority and the Planning Inspectorate, and against the wishes of the local residents.

The town council will also fit perfectly into the proposal for a unitary authority made by Durham County Council. The Government's White Paper on the future of local government encourages the formation of town and parish councils, and is proposing to give them more powers in order to bring decision making down to grass-root levels.

I firmly believe a town council for Stanley will bring about much needed improvements to the benefit of Stanley and its residents. - Tom Pattinson, Kip Hill, Stanley.