DARLINGTON Conservative councillors are yet to make a decision over whether to formally challenge the council over its ill-fated £6,000 clock tower bells experiment.

As previously reported in The Northern Echo, Darlington Borough Council spent £6,000 installing a PA system to play a recording of the town centre’s clock tower bells in place of the authentic chimes.

It was done so that the chimes could be turned off overnight, following complaints that the bells were keeping hotel guests awake at night.

The move, which was made without any public consultation, sparked a public outcry and the council U-turned on its scheme and reinstated the normal bell chimes today (Friday, July 3).

Conservative council members met last night (Thursday, July 2) where the matter was discussed, but as yet the group have not officially called the decision in.

Cllr Charles Johnson told The Northern Echo: “We have been minded for some time to call in the asset management, particularly things like the town centre fountain that didn’t work for a very long time – although thankfully it is back on now.

“There other things as well, so we are looking at a broader aspect rather than just focusing on the chimes.”