ASSORTED worthies, mostly political, gathered in York on Saturday to debate how best to advance the dream of regional government in the county.

Reports of the event seem to suggest there was a lack of agreement as to what was the next step forward. The Labour government has let the issue lie fallow since it came to power and delegates at the convention seemed unsure as to what should be done. Indeed, many present argued that the whole idea of regional government was a non-starter on the grounds that Joe Public didn't care.

Joe Public certainly doesn't care and won't care while he has grave misgivings about the way politicians in Westminster and in his local town hall go about their business. Another set of politicians and the attending bureaucracy will never be seen as a benefit, more a compounding of a problem.

That problem is an enduring and, sadly, worsening cynicism about the role of the politician. Creating new structures will not alter that perception. The electorate wants to see the existing politicians do their job more effectively before having to vote for another set.

That's not to say reform of government is not overdue. Labour has taken some encouraging steps in relation to local government (the exception being the ill-advised experiment with behind-closed-doors cabinet meetings). All the changes associated with the dismantling of the old council committee structures should be allowed to bed down before further tinkering with the administration process.

Local politicians need to demonstrate they can work more effectively in the town hall before we consider whether we need more bureaucracy in Leeds or Newcastle.