A CAMPAIGN for a village to get a parish council has suffered a setback.

Residents of Norton have been campaigning for more than a year to have a greater say in local decision-making, and handed a petition to Stockton Borough Council, in December.

But villagers discovered this week that Stockton council could take up to a year to decide whether they are allowed a parish council.

Campaigners are holding a public meeting next month to keep residents updated on the situation and to gather support.

Councils such as Stockton usually only have three months to give a recommendation to the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR).

But in this case the DTLR has allowed Stockton an extension because it is carrying out ward boundary changes in the Norton area. The borough council will also have to carry out a public consultation before it decides.

A steering group was set up in Norton, with residents saying that Stockton council was not doing enough for the village.

The group has been assessing support for a parish council for 18 months.

Residents were hoping to see it installed by next year, with the first parish council elections.

Steering group chairman Graham Mitchell said: "We always knew it was going to be a long process, but we did not expect this. It could have delayed the whole process by about a year.

"We are very unhappy about this setback. Norton is a very strong community and deserves a parish council because it needs a more local voice."

A spokeswoman for Stockton council said: "The DTLR has advised that the decision should be deferred. Once the ward boundaries review is completed we will make a decision. It will be more than three months."

She said that it could be November or December this year before a decision is taken.

It is expected that the Norton parish council would include all three borough council wards of Blue Hall, Norton and Glebe - a total of more than 7,000 homes and 14,000 electors.

The public meeting is being held at 7pm on Friday, February 22, in Norton Community Centre, The Green, Norton. Everyone is welcome.