The Boundary Committee has made a number of proposals for unitary local government. None of these involve Lancaster and Morecambe joining Cumbria either.

Some proposals involve unitary counties and if these were adopted, Lancaster and Morecambe would be part of Lancashire.

Others would create new unitary districts. Although the county council would cease to exist, the historic county of Lancashire would still continue ceremonial purposes and Lancaster and Morecambe would be part of it. So too would Barrow and the rest of Furness.

In fact a combined Lancaster, South Lakes and Barrow unitary council would return to Lancashire those parts of the Red Rose County that were severed from it in 1974.

A unitary district would also offer a tremendous opportunity to deliver joined up public services to the people of the area.

It really is daft that waste collection is the responsibility of districts but waste disposal is the responsibility of counties, and that the county is responsible for financing most of the work on roads but the districts deliver it through elaborate partner-ship arrangements.

On its present boundaries, Lancaster is too small to deliver key services such as education and social services but Lancashire is too large to get close enough to the people. A Lancaster, South Lakes and Barrow council would be big enough to have some strategic clout and to deliver all the important services.

It would be well placed to work in close collaboration with the health service because the Morecambe Bay Primary Care Trust would cover the same area. And it would be in Lancashire!

Cllr Ian Barker, Leader, Lancaster City Council.