LOCAL Government Minister John Healey yesterday said there was more reason than ever for voters to go to the polls in County Durham tomorrow for what he described as a historic election.

Voters will cast their ballots to elect 126 members of Durham County Council, who will become the first members of the county's new unitary authority when it replaces the two-tier system next year.

Fears have been expressed that turnout in the election may be significantly down as voters turn their backs on the new council, following an unofficial referendum last year in which three-quarters of respondents opposed the shakeup.

However, Mr Healey said the authority and its counterpart in Northumberland would provide a powerful voice for their respective counties and said it was more important than ever for voters to express their views through the ballot box.

He said: "This is a chance to elect people who will lead Durham and argue its corner more strongly than it has been in the past.

"So there is more reason to vote than in the past because it is going to be a big authority and, if it does its job, is going to make a big difference.

"It is a historic election and there has been a lot of debate and argument, but those matters are settled now.

"This is not the continuation of the county councils by other means, these are new authorities which we in Government are watching closely to help set new standards and new direction for councils across the country.

"It means that Durham will be better able to argue its corner with the other unitary councils in the region, such as Newcastle and Gateshead, to put its case for jobs and investment and play a stronger part in the transformation of the North-East economy. For the first time, we get rid of the confusion about who is responsible for what.

"You are going to have a single council with a single point of access and a saving, even on a conservative calculation, of £11m a year."

Mr Healey said proposals to divide the council into areas, with budgets and decision making based around "natural communities", would ensure the council was not too remote from the people and was more flexible than the existing system.

He said: "If the plans were for a onesize- fits-all, this new council would not have got the go-ahead."

Elections are also being held in Hartlepool Borough Council and Harrogate Borough Council.