A referendum should be held to find out whether people support the idea of a regional assembly, according to town councillors.

Elstree and Borehamwood Town Council agreed, at a meeting last week, to respond to Government consultation by stating that it supported the holding of a referendum.

The Government wants to find out whether there is support for referendums to establish whether people would like a change in their local government structure.

If such an idea was supported in the East of England region, one assembly would be formed to replace councils in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.

Hertfordshire County Council and the county's ten borough councils would be replaced by one or more unitary councils.

The aim of regional assemblies is disperse power from central Government.

January 30, 2003 10:30