A BY-ELECTION taking place tomorrow could see a ruling party emerge at a town council that has no majority.

Brian Coglan, the independent councillor for Newton Aycliffe's Byerley Park, Horndale and Cobblers Hall ward, resigned through ill-health during the summer.

Since the local elections in May, Great Aycliffe Town Council was split between 15 Labour Party councillors and 15 independents.

The fate of Newton Aycliffe's troubled town centre has emerged as a major issue in the battle for votes.

The Northern Echo revealed in June that the £25m redevelopment of the centre had been scrapped.

Durham County Council has served a legal notice on Manchester developer CTP, effectively terminating the deal. The centre has suffered, while a Tesco store next door, built by CTP, has prospered. The Tesco development was originally hailed by Sedgefield Borough Council planners as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to revitalise the 40-year-old shopping precinct.

Tesco was built on the site of a former comprehensive school and the aim was to link it with the old town centre.

Phase one, which included the Tesco store and eight small units, went ahead, but phase two - a pedestrian plaza, health centre, library and community facilities - has stalled.

Frustration over the state of the town centre was a major reasons why the Labour Party lost control of the council at the last election.

But the party hopes to regain control and its candidate, Ian Gray, has has accused the independent group of failing to tackle the crisis. The claim was denied by independent councillor Billy Blenkinsopp, deputy leader of the council.

Coun Blenkinsopp said: "Labour is claiming that the new Sedgefield MP, Phil Wilson, is doing all the work on the town centre issue - well the old Labour man was Tony Blair, and he couldn't fix it."

Standing against Mr Gray is Lileen Cuthbertson, who is also a Sedgefield Borough Councillor for Woodham.

Mrs Cuthbertson, from Baliol Green, in Newton Aycliffe, disputed claims by opponents that her position as Woodham borough councillor was a conflict of interests.

"When I look at the town, I can see a lot of work that needs doing in a lot of areas.

"I'm not the kind of person to sit on my behind and moan about it, I want to take positive action," she said.

Poling stations at Byerley Park School, Greenfield Meeting Hall, the Scout headquarters and the Southerne Club, will be open from 7am to 10pm today.

The results are expected at about 11pm.