OUR report about a meeting in Northallerton last week to discuss ideas for an elected regional assembly for Yorkshire was somewhat fortuitous.

We only got to hear about it taking place by chance when a member of staff stumbled across a reference to it on a web site the day before it took place.

Organised by the Yorkshire Assembly, ostensibly to take "soundings" about a possible referendum on regional government, it was a minor miracle that anybody was in the town hall at all. In the event about 40 souls turned up to hear Assembly officials outline some of the issues involved.

There was no publicity issued about the event by the Assembly. The Assembly, in turn, blamed its "partners" in consultation, North Yorkshire County Council. Which begs the question whether this was simply incompetence or by design?

Did the Yorkshire Assembly expect a rough ride in an area likely to face the greatest upheaval should regional government arrive and therefore decide to keep the meeting something of a secret.

Or did the county council feel its interests were best served by encouraging the general state of confusion and the lack of knowledge about the regional government issue.

It seemed a strange coincidence that this week the county issued the results of a opinion poll it had commissioned on the issue which showed - total confusion! Should we be surprised?

For a spare leg

AN interesting offer at one of Darlington's town centre shoe shops caught the eye of a colleague on the way to the office this week.

Shoe Zone, in Northgate, has several large posters in its windows proclaiming "Buy Two Get One Free".

Spectator's advice to bargain hunters is to get down there quick before Jake the Peg hears about it