Lancashire County Council could be replaced by seven councils

The Boundary Committee for England has revealed there will be a single council for Lancashire or seven smaller ones if there is a yes vote for the assembly.

While Cheshire could have a similar single authority or three councils.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott will have the final say before the assembly referendum in the autumn.

One tier

The government believes if the region votes for a regional assembly there should only be one other tier of local government.

The committee has revealed the following options.

One idea for Lancashire is to have an all-purpose council for most of the county taking in more than a million people but retaining the existing Blackburn with Darwen unitary authority and an extended Blackpool taking in Fylde and Wyre.

The other option would see seven councils again including an expanded Blackpool along with a Morecambe and Lancaster Council also taking part of South Cumbria.

Consultation period

Ormskirk, in Lancashire, would join Sefton, in Merseyside, while West Lancashire (which covers Skelmersdale) would amalgamate with Wigan, in Greater Manchester.

Cheshire could have a single council covering 670,000 people or three councils grouping Macclesfield with Congleton, Vale Royal with Crewe and Chester with Ellesmere Port.

An idea to join the Whitworth area with Rochdale has been ditched.