Plans to create a super primary care trust covering the whole of Lancashire have come under attack.

Under Strategic Health Authority proposals the PCTs in Chorley, South Ribble and Preston would be broken up to create a county-wide body to administer health care.

Councillors in South Ribble are opposing the plans and its watchdog committee which considers relationships with outside bodies, has leapt to the defence of the current arrangements and condemned plans to enlarge the trust.

Councillor Derek Forrest, who chairs the committee, said: "Killing the trust would be bananas. Since the PCT was created in 2002 we have seen strong and professional teams created which cater brilliantly for our area.

"The proposals would create an unmanageable dinosaur covering 1.6 million people which would be an administrative nightmare.

"Members of the committee across party lines were united in opposition to the changes proposed." There are currently 302 PCTs in the UK. The Strategic Health Authority is conducting amalgamation reviews in a bid to cut costs. Judith Faux, chief executive of the Chorley and South Ribble Primary Care Trust, said: "We think one PCT for Lancashire would be too large, and have reflected this in our response to the idea. But no firm decisions have been made yet."

o The Chorley and South Ribble Primary Care Trust is one of just five PCTs in the country to be shortlisted for a Primary Care Organisation of the year award.

It was the only PCT in the North West to have gained three stars in each of the three years since PCTs have been included in star ratings - a feat matched by only another six of the more than 300 PCTs in the UK.