CONTROVERSIAL plans over an electoral boundary which would see a market town split down the middle have received mixed reviews from residents.

Barnard Castle residents gathered at a town council meeting on Monday night to discuss the Boundary Commission for England’s proposed changes to consistency boundaries which they released in September as part of their 2018 boundary review.

Among the plans, Barnard Castle would be divided in half with homes and businesses in the East of the town remaining in the current Bishop Auckland constituency while those in the West would come under a new West Durham and Teesdale constituency.

Barnard Castle Town Councillors invited residents to give their views ahead of a consultation at the Mercure Hotel, in Darlington on Thursday and Friday, where town mayor, Councillor John Blissett, will put forward the council’s views.

The council set out plans to support an alternative proposal from Durham County Councillor for Barnard Castle West, Cllr Richard Bell, who suggested moving Barnard Castle West into the Bishop Auckland constituency and swapping it with Willington and Hunwick which would move into the West Durham and Teesdale constituency.

Cllr Bell, who was also joined by fellow county councillors, George Richardson, James Rowlandson and Ted Henderson, said the plan was the “simplest” solution and would allow the town to retain its community links.

However, resident John Watson, said that while it was “desirable” to keep the town united; the current system was “unsatisfactory”.

Mr Watson, a former town councillor, said the town’s rural issues would be best heard by being in the Durham West ward.

Resident, Phil Hunt, said the town should stay together while Cllr Rowlandson said “we should fight tooth and nail to keep it as it is”.

Councillors unanimously voted in favour of Cllr Bell’s proposals which would also involve asking the Boundary Commission to change the constituency names to Bishop Auckland and Teesdale and West Durham.