EFFORTS to form a town council in Billingham took a step forward yesterday.

Last year, Colin Pollard and Frank Crosby joined forces to form a pressure group collecting signatures for a petition to create a town council.

Needing at least 2,800 signatures, or ten per cent of Billingham's electorate, to set up a town council, the petition has been signed by 4,299 .

The pair, along with a steering committee, visited Stockton Borough Council's municipal buildings yesterday to hand in the petition, which the council must first approve before sending it to the Government for its approval.

It is then hoped the council will be set up either next year or in 2005.

Mr Pollard said: "It was a momentous day yesterday but there is still plenty of work to be done.

"We need to keep in touch with the council to find out what stage we are at, and keep the residents of Billingham informed.

"If the town council gets the go-ahead then it will act as the voice for the people of the town.

"We have had a tremendous amount of support from residents of the town and, hopefully, the town council will be up and running sooner rather than later."

Mr Crosby said: "We are extremely happy with the number of people who signed the petition.

"We are hoping that within the next three months the council will send the petition to the Government, and then within the next six months, hopefully, the Government will come back to the council and instruct them to set up elections."

To find out more about the plan for a town council visit the website at homepages.tesco.net/G.Robertson.