POLLING stations are being improved to help disabled people as part of a shake-up of voting areas.

Disabled groups in Darlington have been helping the council check each polling station for disabled access.

The move is part of a review of Darlington's polling districts, which could also see the borough losing one ward, but gaining one councillor.

If approved at a full meeting of Darlington Borough Council on Thursday, the ward changes will come into force by the next elections on May 1, next year.

And polling stations are set to get ramps, good lighting for the visually impaired, and assistance for disabled people.

Gordon Pybus, of Darlington Association on Disability, said: "We did our own survey in Darlington last year, as part of a national Scope survey, and the outcome of it was that we have been working with the local authority to try to eliminate any problems before another election.

"Where there is a polling station with insufficient disabled access, we have been looking at other venues."

Proposals for new ward boundaries include merging six wards into three, with the addition of two new divisions.

Northgate North and Northgate South will become one ward, as will Eastbourne North and Eastbourne South.

The new Eastbourne ward will have three councillors, one fewer than before, while Northgate ward will be represented by two councillors, rather than four.

The other wards to combine will be Sadberge and Whessoe, with one councillor.

A Haughton North Ward will be created with two councillors, and a new Faverdale ward will have one. Haughton West will gain a councillor and Haughton East lose one.

North Road will gain a councillor, and the renamed Heighington and Coniscliffe Ward will have two councillors.

Of the 25 wards, 22 will see changes. There will be a total of 53 councillors in 24 wards.