NORTH-EAST district councils have made a united stand in the face of the proposed change to regional assemblies.

This week's formal campaign launch at Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland was supported by leaders and chief executives from County Durham, Northumberland, North Yorkshire and Cumbria.

The Government plans to hold referenda across the North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber regions in the Autumn 2004 on whether or not they should have regional assemblies.

In areas that currently have a "two-tier" local government system of county and district councils, the government is going to abolish the current arrangements.

There will be a second question on the referenda ballot papers asking the electorate to choose between at least two options for all-purpose, unitary councils.

The Boundary Committee for England is responsible for developing the boundaries of these new unitary councils, but has asked existing councils for their suggestions.

District councils across the northern regions agree that several new unitary councils should be set up in each county - bigger than existing district councils, but smaller than county councils. They say single, county-wide unitary councils were not the best way forward.

Iain Phillips, chief executive of Wear Valley District Council, said, "Local councils must stay local. County councils cannot and will not deliver local services or represent local people."

Coun John Morley, deputy leader of Hambleton District Council, said, "The creation of new authorities which are high performing and responsive is not possible unless local communities are involved in the delivery of their services. We believe that this involvement can only be achieved by local government, which is visibly local.

"For this reason, we believe that larger unitary options are less well suited to delivering good local services".

But Durham County Council says a countywide unitary council would remove the potential for parochialism and competition between smaller scale administrative units. It would also ensure a more equitable and measured distribution of attention and resources throughout the county.

It denies that it would be too large or too remote to respond to local needs and it adds that a single council would cost less to set up and be cheaper to run.

* A single unitary authority serving the whole of North Yorkshire would maintain vital local services delivered by the county council, the authority believes.

The submission to the Boundary Committee was agreed at a special meeting of the full council.

The county council already delivers services which account for 85pc of local government spending in North Yorkshire, including education, social care and maintaining roads.

Council leader Coun John Weighell said developing North Yorkshire as a single authority would not be a barrier to local accountability, but would reinforce the existing strong community identity.

* Leading article: page 22