PARISH councils in Darlington have claimed they are being discriminated against as part of the borough council's new budget proposals.

Plans to cut grants to the councils and also reduce subsidies to some bus services in the rural areas of the borough will effectively lead to those residents being taxed twice, parish councillors have said.

At a specially convened meeting of the Association of Parish Councils, representatives reacted angrily to Darlington Borough Council's latest budget.

They now plan to address the resources scrutiny committee and also the borough council cabinet in the hope that the proposals can be reversed.

The council plans to stop paying grants worth £34,000 to parish councils.

It also hopes to stop the subsidies to the number 17 and 97 buses to Sadberge and on to Great Stainton and Bishopton - saving about £132,000 a year.

The association chairman, Councillor Brian Jones, from Middleton St George, said the borough council received about £6.5m in council tax from the parishes.

Middleton St George receives a grant of about £12,000.

He said: "Middleton St George would have to raise its precept by 90 per cent to match the grant.

"Why should residents of rural areas have to pay twice? Parish councillors are all volunteers, but we're subject to the same regulations on the standards board as borough councillors.

"Parish councils give good value for the money, we work hard and do a good job.

"We're involved in just about everything that goes on in the villages.

We'll fight this as strongly as we can."

Millie Scaife, the chairwoman of Sadberge Parish Council, said about 11 per cent of the village relied on the bus services.

She said: "This particularly hits the very young and elderly people.

"Access should be there for all to access services and facilities and it seems to me that they're there for all except if you live in a village. It's a contradiction of equal opportunities."

Coun Jones will address the scrutiny committee on Tuesday.

A Darlington Borough Council spokesman said: "The council spends throughout the whole borough, dependent on need.

"However, nothing has been agreed as far as the council's budget is concerned.

"All of our proposals are out to public consultation and we are encouraging as many people as possible to give us their views.

"Those views will then be taken into account as the budget is finalised."