PEOPLE living in the Ribble Valley have been offered an olive branch in a bid to end a row prompted by plans for a regional assembly.

But the area's council leader has warned Blackburn with Darwen Council that he does not want his borough broken up.

Coun Chris Holtom spoke out after Blackburn with Darwen leader, Sir Bill Taylor, revealed a revised plan for the future of local councils, which would see only part of the Ribble Valley joining with Blackburn, Darwen and Hyndburn.

The Government is carrying out a review that could lead to local authorities being re-organised if people vote in favour of a North West Regional Assembly in September.

Coun Taylor called leaders of all East Lancashire councils to a meeting yesterday discuss differing opinions on how any re-organisation should be carried out.

The Government's Boundary Committee has recommended three options, which have been put out to public consultation.

The first was for a countywide Lancashire unitary authority, the second is for an East Lancashire authority, which critics fear could be run from Blackburn, and the third is for two East Lancashire unitary authorities - one for Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale, and one for Blackburn, Darwen, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley. The Boundary Committee is consulting councils and members of the public before choosing the two to be put to the polls in the autumn.

Voters will be asked to choose the option they would like to see implemented if the North West is given its own directly elected government.

Blackburn with Darwen said it wants to merge with Hyndburn and part of the Ribble Valley borough, which includes Mellor and Langho.

But Coun Taylor said the plan had been changed following comments from people living in the Ribble Valley. He added: "We listened to a very strong rural voice that made it clear there was a difference between the two areas.

"But the feedback we have been getting is that people in Mellor and Langho already consider themselves to be part of Blackburn."

Opinion among councillors and MPs is split and yesterday's meeting was an attempt to find common ground. Hyndburn Council has already said it is opposed to a merger with Blackburn and favours linking with Ribble Valley. Burnley MP Peter Pike is a supporter of regional assemblies and in the past has said an East Lancashire council serving 1.5million people would be best for the region.

Coun Holtom has said he wants the Ribble Valley to remain the same but admitted he could not ignore the debate. He added: "I would like to see Ribble Valley operating within its own boundaries but we can't bury our heads in the sand."

A resolution was due to be presented to Ribble Valley Council at a meeting tomorrow outlining Coun Holtom's own proposal.