DEMOCRACY will be the loser under Government plans to abolish regional assemblies, say local councillors.

They are unhappy that ministers want to hand key powers to unelected quangos such as Regional Development Agencies (RDAs).

Powers to be transferred by 2010 include regional policies on planning, housing, transport, and scrutiny of economic development.

At the moment, two thirds of the North West regional assembly is comprised of elected councillors, and one third representatives of civil society appointed by their organisations.

In contrast, all the members of the RDA are appointed by the Government.

Labour councillor Derek Boden said: "I believe it's necessary that these strategies are kept under democratic control.

"To transfer strategic planning policies to the RDA reduces the ability of people to determine the outcome and removes the ability of local government representatives to oversee it. That is a step back."

He added: "The Government wants regional ministers to scrutinise, but the chief concern of MPs is for their own constituencies, they don't have a tradition of collaborating over 65 constituencies."

However, Tory councillor Roger Brown told last week's council meeting that he was in a dilemma.

"My immediate reaction is that the whole thing should be abolished as a waste of time," he said.

"It's another level of bureaucracy and politicians interfering, and a lot of people feel like that - the people in the North East decisively rejected it.

"But I am always concerned when I see this Government chipping away at democratic control of what is being done to people in this country."

He also feared that ministers would delegate control of local highways to Manchester, which might push through a congestion charge.

Tory leader Bob Bibby added: "I am not happy with the regional assembly, but even less happy with the RDA. It's very important to bring powers back to elected members."

Councillors have asked Bury's MPs to pass on their concerns to ministers.

However, they also noted that the Government has allowed the possibility of sub/city regions taking on regional functions. They voted to support a Greater Manchester organisation which would do so, as long it was elected.