COUNCILLORS are being asked to support the creation of a super council covering the whole of North Yorkshire which it is claimed would save millions of pounds of taxpayers' money.

Members of North Yorkshire County Council’s Executive committee meet tomorrow (Tuesday, April 29) to discuss the proposal by UKIP members to abolish the existing eight local authorities and create one huge administrative area.

The move comes seven years after similar plans were thrown out by the Government, although Durham Coutny Council was allowed to become a Unitary Authority absorbing the local district council’s in 2009.

Coun David Simister and Coun Sam Cross have called on the county council to start talks with Hambleton, Richmondshire, Ryedale, Craven and Selby District Council’s and Scarborough and Harrogate Borough Councils, to create one large authority.

But Coun Mark Robson, conservative leader of Hambleton District Council said the proposal made no sense.

“I am absolutely and totally against this," he said. "We have had no council tax increase for the past four years and we have not reduced services.

“Having one huge council would just be crazy, the residents would most certainly suffer. I cannot see the Conservative group at County Hall even contemplating this.”

Coun Robson said Eric Pickles, Minister for Local Government and Communities had already said creating new unitary authorities was not up for discussion.

Coun Simister said: "It is a very serious and sensible option which would save taxpayers an absolute fortune because you would wipe out a huge swathe of bureaucracy .

“I think the county council should put this to taxpayers, they should have a referendum and see what the people say. One large council would only need one Chief Executive instead of eight and one set of directors instead of eight.

"We could even have the area split into two authorities with the A1 as the main boundary if one council was too big.

“It makes no sense to have three lots of councils, we have Parish and Town Councils, District Councils and the County Council, and for many people it is very confusing."    

Coun John Weighell, leader of North Yorkshire County Council declined to comment before the meeting.