A PROPOSAL to save taxpayers’ money by twinning district councils in England’s largest county has been rejected.

A meeting of the District Councils Network in Northallerton heard the costs of running the county’s seven district councils could be cut by uniting the authorities into three councils.

The leaders of the authorities said the suggestion by Scarborough Borough Council’s Labour group would see the districts losing their identities.

Councillor Mick Griffiths, deputy leader of Richmondshire District Council, said while there was a consensus that authorities should work together wherever possible, there was no support for uniting authorities.

A proposal by North Yorkshire County Council to create a unitary authority in 2007 was thrown out by the Government.

Last year, an agreement between Richmondshire and Hambleton district councils to share services was scrapped following concerns over how equally resources were being distributed across the area.