The number of councillors for Durham could be slashed by almost a quarter under proposals on reviewing local government boundaries.

The Local Government Boundary Commission England (LGBCE) is reviewing Durham County Council and considering the number of councillors to be elected and the names and boundaries of electoral divisions.

The review aims to "create boundaries that are appropriate, and reflect community ties and identities".

It also aims to make sure each councillor represents a similar number of people and the council is not too small or too large to work well.

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The council will discuss the review at its next full meeting on Wednesday, September 21.

A council report states: "The LGBCE expect the council to challenge its current arrangements and determine the most appropriate arrangements.

"The review presents an opportunity to consider how the council works now and in the future."

Currently, the council has 126 councillors representing an average electorate of about 3,100 people each in 63 electoral divisions.

But there is some "electoral inequality" in the county under the commission's criteria, as the numbers for some areas fall outside the averages.

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A working group including political leaders has considered the options, including keeping things as they are, reducing the number of councillors to 98 or reducing even further to 85.

The group weighed up the options for officers to put together the council's submission to the LGBCE.

Councillors told a survey they spent more than 16 hours a week on council business and rarely got time off.

"However, the working group acknowledged that maintaining the status quo is unlikely to be acceptable to the LGBCE because of the electoral imbalance which has led to the review," said the report.

Reducing to 85 councillors was thought to be "unrealistic" and would make the council too small, it was decided.

"The group were concerned that this would create a democratic deficit as well as an administrative burden for the council," the report added.

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The group believed 98 councillors - with about 3,980 electors each - would be "a realistic figure for County Durham".

The report said: "In recommending a council size of 98... the working group recognise that individual political groups may have a different view or proposal.

"However, it is important that the council agrees a realistic submission, which informs its future rather than have a figure imposed upon it."

The LGBCE has advised that politicians or groups might present their own alternatives.

The council needs to submit its proposals by October 4 and the LGBCE will confirm its recommendation on the council's size in November, but the figure will not be confirmed until the end of the review.

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