CONCERNS have been raised for the future of local democracy in Darlington villages, with the borough council no longer paying for parish elections.

Members of Middleton St George and Sadberge parish councils, which both held meetings this week, raised the possibility of people being encouraged not to stand for council to ensure that an election was not held to save money.

Councillors estimate a parish with the size of Middleton St George would generate election costs of £3,500.

The cost of by-elections to parish councils are already established– a by-election in Hurworth last year cost £3,000.

Councillor Brian Jones, ward member for Sadberge, who is chairman of Darlington Association of Parish Councils (DAPC), gave a report to both Sadberge and Middleton St George Parish Councils.

He said: “There are not many other local authorities paying for parish elections so the borough council are saying ‘why should we do it?’

"It’s about cutbacks from the council again.

“The ideal situation would be not to have an election, to just have ten people stand for council, but that’s not democratic."

Councillor Steve York, ward member for Middleton St George, said: “You would think it would be in the borough council’s interest to support the parish councils, because it is those volunteers who run the villages.

“We would have to put provisions in place to make sure we had the money to pay for a potential election.”

Speaking at Sadberge Parish Council, chairman Lee Tate said: “They are just sucking even more out of the system. We’ll have to look at the precept to see if we need to put extra money aside for a potential election.”

The DAPC meeting also discussed potential changes to parish boundaries as a result of changes to Darlington Borough Council wards planned for next year, which means that some parishes could straddle two different wards or become aligned to an urban ward they have little in common with.

A DBC spokeswoman said no new changes were being proposed, the decision was made in 2011 and parish councils were fully consulted at the time.

She added: “Full details of costs were made clear. Darlington is in line with neighbouring local authorities.

“It means that the costs of elections are met by the people in the area where the election is being held and not by people living in other parts of the borough.

“Where there is a ward or parliamentary election as well as a parish election, as may be the case next year, costs will be shared.”