ALL options will be explored before Pendle's bid to merge with Burnley is submitted to the government, the borough's council leader has pledged.

But there is concern whether that can be achieved as Pendle and Burnley's negotiations are only just getting under way.

And in less than five weeks council bosses have to supply their views on how the boroughs should be governed.

Pendle Council leader Alan Davies told members at the last meeting of Pendle's full council that the only way to stop the borough having more and more power passed to Lancashire County Council under the proposed "enhanced two-tier" system was to join with Burnley to create a unitary authority.

Under this system, the new authority would be responsible for all services, including social services, roads and schools, which are provided by the county council at present.

But Conservative and Labour councillors urged him to look at all the evidence and make sure residents were happy with the decision.

Coun Tony Beckett said: "Anybody can read a report trying to persuade people that this is the right way to go, but I would prefer to look at all the evidence.

"Is this proposal better for the councillors or is it better for the people?

"It may be that we think the enhanced two-tier is going to be better but until we know what we are going to get from the county council we can't make a decision."

Coun David Whipp said the county council was too big to govern effectively. He added: "It is a burgeoning, bloated bureaucracy and the danger is that it's going to gobble up the world.

"All the services will be let down from the lords and masters on high."

Coun Davies responded by saying: "I agree entirely that we have got to get all the evidence together.

"This council has never been gung-ho and presented a done deal and the full council will make the final decision."

The leaders of Pendle and Burnley's councils will meet this week to discuss the bid.

The government will be allowing only a certain number of councils, expected to be between 20 and 30, to become unitary authorities, and will make its decisions after receiving the bids on January 25.