Berwick Borough Council is to work towards a county-wide policy to make it clear what is permitted.

The matter was raised by Belford member Coun Geoff O'Connell at last month's full council meeting.

Coun O'Connell said: "As you know I have, on two or three occasions, raised the need for road signage for rural businesses large or small in the Borough – a matter of great concern to those ratepayers running businesses and employing local people.

"The explanation given for the treatment of unauthorised signs seems to be that there is a 'zero tolerance' policy towards road signs which have not been approved by Berwick Borough's planning department and endorsed by full council.

"This has resulted in the past in 'unauthorised' signs being removed or defaced with aerosols.

"I have endeavoured to establish clarity on signage policy and there seems to be a complex set of categories some of which do not require permission and some which do which I find baffling and which seem to be no more easily understood by potential applicants of this borough."

The Mayor Coun Lance Robson said there would be "little value" in producing a Berwick-borough-only policy considering a new system of local government is being introduced next April.

Coun Robson: "It is hoped that this policy document might be progressed as part of the local government review work over the next 12 months.

"In the meantime, we will continue to offer advice and guidance on appropriate road signs in the borough, and take enforcement action against advertisements which do not have proper consents."