THE battle lines were drawn up in Dorset today over proposals to create an elected South West regional assembly at the expense of county councils.

The government hopes to set up eight elected mini-parliaments nationwide of 25 to 35 members to take charge of such matters as planning, housing and development.

But the move in the South West could mean the end of one tier of local government - county councils rather than borough and district councils - to avoid excessive bureaucracy.

Critics - including the Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) - have condemned the scheme as undemocratic and unworkable.

But supporters say it would mean greater democratic accountability at regional level with more scrutiny over the money spent by the Government Office of the South West.

Terry Stewart, chairman of the Dorset CPRE branch, claimed the proposal was "undemocratic, unaccountable and unworkable" and would lead to more countryside destruction.

He said: "Dorset is already the fastest growing county in the land.

"But with more than half the county designated as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Dorset does not have the space for the 60,000 houses that the regional government will demand we build in the next planning period."

The proposals, which would need to be agreed by the public in a referendum, were revealed in the government's White Paper on Regional Governance.

The assemblies would be elected, but would be run by a cabinet of about six elected members on salaries.

An Exeter-based South West Regional Assembly already exists, but consists of representatives from councils and non-elected agencies.

Coun Anne Thomas, leader of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, said: "The government is making a real effort to decentralise power from London.

"It is a very important proposal to democratise, empower and engage people. The assembly will be able to respond to particular local needs. District and borough authorities could also have more powers."

She added: "The county council tier would go.

"That is the big fear of the Conservatives because it is in the shire counties where they have some power."

The assemblies would have multi-million pound budgets and may be able to raise a council tax precept.

Coun Tim Palmer, leader of Dorset County Council, claimed power would be transferred from local councils to the regional assembly instead of from London.

He said: "There are considerable doubts about how any sort of regional government would deliver for people at a local level. Power is not going to be devolved from Westminster, it is going to be devolved upwards and taken away from the local level."

He added: "It is thoroughly anti-democratic. There is no particular popular local demand for regional government in the South West."

Role of regional assembly

THERE is already a body called the South West Regional Assembly.

Its main purpose is to scrutinise and monitor the work of the Regional Development Agency (RDA), a body that promotes the economy of the South West.

It also acts as the regional planning body for the area.

Covering an area from Gloucestershire to the Isles of Scilly including Dorset, Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, the assembly gives a voice to almost five million people and also acts as the regional planning body.

Its 117 members are voluntary; 79 come from the 51 unitary, county and district authorities in the South West and 38 are representatives from the economic, social and environmental sectors, including the national parks and the Association of Local Councils.

The chairman, vice chairman and four deputy chairmen are elected every two years, with five drawn from local authority representatives and one from the social and economic partners.

Meetings are normally held at Devon County Hall, Exeter and are open to the public.

As a designated regional chamber, it helps to make the RDA aware of regional views in the development and implementation of the region's economic strategy.

In planning, the assembly is responsible for preparing, monitoring and revising regional planning guidance (RPG), which includes the regional transport strategy.

New plans may sound death knell for county

THE Government is proposing mini-parliaments for eight regions in England in a newly released White Paper called Your Region, Your Choice.

Assembly responsibilities would include economic development, housing, sport, culture and tourism, planning and public health.

Each assembly, which will be primarily funded through central government grant, will have between 25 and 35 members elected through a form of proportional representation.

They will be divided between a full-time leader and executive "cabinet", selected by the assembly, and part-time members.

But the proposals will have to go to referendums before they could go ahead - possibly spelling the end of county councils and a shake-up of existing councils in Dorset.

The assemblies could also have the option to raise a council tax precept for higher spending if 'it considers this desirable'.

Each assembly would cost up to £25 million to run, although the first - probably in the north east - would not be ready to start until 2007.

The government's White Paper makes it clear that assemblies should not become another tier of local government, adding to county and district councils.

The Boundary Committee would be invited to conduct a local authority review before recommending which council should go in Dorset.