THE government claims that regional assemblies will boost local democracy, but these institutions would undermine the traditional relationship between local people and their county, borough and district councils.

The assemblies will represent vast regions and have little empathy with the needs of small towns and villages that may be many miles away.

Regional assemblies have been created as part of the Brussels-based Committee of the Regions master-plan for taking direct control of local government.

They will ultimately report to the COR and not to our Parliament at Westminster.

The regionalisation of Britain is being railroaded through and must be strongly resisted. We face a huge fight to save local government in this country and in the process preserve the authority of our national Parliament.

D BULLEN (Mr), Albany Road, Blackburn.