Members of Wansbeck District Council last week agreed to submit recommendations to the Secretary of State for the creation of five parish councils to serve the region when Northumberland council comes to fruition.

As part of a survey on community views being conducted by Wansbeck Life, a question on parish councils was included in the survey which was circulated in September and early October 2007.

Over 2,000 responses were received, illustrating an average of 62 per cent across the discrict were in favour of establishing Parish Councils.

The council then opted to hold a series of local engagements/events, inviting attendees to complete a short questionnaire following a presentation, which was followed up with an invitation to complete the same questionnaire as being extended to active citizens and representatives on the community area partnerships.

Council leader John Devon said he had been disappointed with the level of responses received from residents but had been pleased with what the consultation had shown.

"When we embarked on this we said consultation was important," he said.

"We listened to what the residents said and what they require, and we have to give them what they want."

Coun Alex Wallace added: "They had the opportunity to respond and we must work with the responses that we got to make the decisions about these parish councils.

"I am disappointed with the number of responses we had from the consultation, but the community have been asked and they have had more than one opportunity to respond.

"The reality is that we must act on the information we have from the residents who did respond to our surveys."

Councillors raised concerns over the proposed names for the parish councils but were told these could be altered at a later stage.

The council has now submitted recommendations for the creation of five parish councils to the Secretarty of State for consideration.

There would be five parish councils:

• East Bedlington, which would comprise the current wards East Bedlington and Sleekburn, would be named Parish of East Bedlington and would have a total of 11 councillors;


• North Bedlington, which would comprise the current wards Choppington, Guide Post and Stakeford, which would be named Parish of North Bedlington and would have a total of nine councillors;


• East and West Ashington joined, which would comprise the current district wards Haydon, Hirst, Seaton, College, Park, Central, Bothal North and Bothal South, which would be named Ashington Parish Council and would be made up of 21 councillors;


• Newbiggin which would comprise Newbiggin East and West, which would be named Newbiggin-by-the-Sea Parish council and would have eight councillors;


• and West Bedlington, which would comprise Bedlington Central, Bedlington North and Bedlington South, which would be renamed West Bedlington Parish Council and would be made up of nine councillors.