Residents of Gateshead can have their say on just how many councillors they think it takes to run the area.
The Local Government Boundary Commission, as part of its job of reviewing local electoral boundaries, is asking the voters of Gateshead if 66 councillors is the right amount.
Councillor Ron Beadle, leader of the Gateshead Liberal Democrats, believes it is time the council is "cut down to size". The Lib Dems believe the number of councillors should decrease as they claim the functions of the council have eroded along with funding. A reduction in councillors would also see less spent on councillors' allowances.
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Coun Beadle said: "We welcome that this consultation is going to the public, as unexpected as it is. We believe most Gateshead residents will agree with us that the council should be smaller.
"We will be campaigning hard to encourage residents to respond to the consultation. It is time to cut the council down to size."
Leader of the council and Deckham councillor Martin Gannon voiced his disappointment the issue has become a political football and said he wished the council could have come to a joint position.
He also raised concerns that the prospect of a new combined authority on the horizon will pose even more work for Gateshead's councillors.
Coun Gannon said: "This is about the quality of local democracy in Gateshead, it is about the right number of councillors to represent 200,000 residents.
"The impact of austerity and the reduction in funding has increased the amount of work for councillors. We have seen the number of looked after children in Gateshead triple.
"There is more demand for services but less money. If you reduce the number of councillors and the level of work is increasing it means councillors will have to do more.
"What you want is for ordinary people to be councillors, to be reflective of the area. But if councillors work 30 to 40 hours a week, that would make it impossible with another job. We have got to get the balance right.
"I just think it's sad that the Liberal Democrats want to make this a cheap populist football. I think it's more serious than that."
The leader of the council has encouraged the residents of Gateshead to take part in the consultation.
You can make your opinions clear to the Boundary Commission until July 10 here or you can email the commission at reviews@lgbce.org.uk.
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