ROSSENDALE will not be bidding to merge with any neighbouring councils, bosses have declared.

The vow comes as Burnley and Pendle councils show an interest in merging, and Blackburn with Darwen and Hyndburn discuss joining up key departments.

Ribble Valley Borough Council, like Rossendale, wants to maintain the status quo of being a district council under Lancashire County Council.

At Rossendale's full council meeting, leader Coun Duncan Ruddick said that it was highly unlikely that other districts' attempts to be join up and become unitary authorities under the Government's new White Paper would succeed.

Coun Ruddick said: "When the White Paper was suggested for a massive re-organisation of local government, unitary authorities were the flavour of the month.

"But now Ruth Kelly is in charge, and there has been a considerable backpedal.

"She expects only eight successful applications for unitary status, so Lancashire's chances are virtually nil.

"I believe that Rossendale is in a position now to bring services back to where they belong - locally."

He said that the fact all 12 of Lancashire's districts need to be in favour of the change slashed the odds even further, as there are seven boroughs who do not want to become unitary.

The Mayor of Rossendale, Coun Peter Steen, told the meeting there were concerns about the funding of re-organisation. He said: "My major issue is how much is this going to cost, and who is going to pay for it? Somebody has to, and let's find out who."

Fellow Conservative Coun Brian Essex slammed the Government for introducing what he described as "another costly initiative".

Coun Essex said: "Ruth Kelly has come forward with yet another reorganisation which will take time and resources away from the job our staff are supposed to be doing, time that should be spent delivering services.

"We should keep Rossendale for Rossendale."

Chief executive Carolyn Wilkins will submit the council's decision by the Government's deadline on January 25.