The prospect for a regional elected assembly for the North-East is to be taken a step further next week.

Regions Minister Nick Raynsford is expected to make a major announcement on the referendums process during a visit to Newcastle on Wednesday.

In a speech to the Campaign for the English Regions (CFER) he will outline how the first regions who wish to hold referendums will be chosen, and possibly set out a timetable.

Whilst it is generally assumed that the North-East will be among the first, if not the first, region to be offered a chance to vote on an assembly, the minister is not likely to announce the referendum itself.

Instead it is thought he will invite those regions interested to put their names officially forward.

Following the recent publication of the Government White Paper on devolution of power to the regions, a broad coalition was formed to press for a ''Yes'' vote in a North-East devolution referendum.

The campaign, called ''North-East Ready to Go'', includes the famous North- East actors Tim Healey and Denise Welsh, the Bishop of Durham and business leader Bill Midgley.

Figures from Labour, the Liberal Democrats, and the Greens, have been joined by people from various walks of life, in supporting an initiative by the Campaign for a North-East Assemblly.

The CNA will have been formally approaching the political parties, trade unions, and a wide range of other organisations seeking their support for the move.

The CFER - a national campaign, but based in the North-East are calling for at least one elected assembly to be established within the lifetime of this parliament.

They have called on the government to show commitment to the regions by allocating Parliamentary time for the necessary legislation, starting with the launch of a referendum bill in the Queen's Speech in the autumn.

The Northern Echo's sources say that Regions Minister Nick Raynsford will on Wednesday also announce the setting up of a special commission to re-draw local government boundaries in preparation for regional government.

The abolition of county councils like Durham is a possibility, to make way for a new map of local all-purpose unitary authorities. It is understood that the new boundary commission will start its work in January 2003, with a view to making recommendations by the end of the year.

A final decision on which regions can go forward to holding referendums on regional assemblies is expected to be announced around the middle of next year.

A bill to allow referendums to take place is also ecpected to be included in the Queen's Speech this autumn.

However details of exactly what the new regional authorties will be responsible for are not likely to be announced until after the referendums have taken place.