PLANS to merge four boroughs into one authority if people vote in favour of a Regional Assembly were today branded the height of stupidity.

The option is one of two which people are being asked to consider if there is a "yes" vote in the autumn - the other being a Lancashire-wide authority to replace the current county council and district authorities.

Burnley MP Peter Pike today described the option of grouping Burnley, Pendle, Ribble Valley and Rossendale as an 'appalling blunder'.

Pendle peer Lord Tony Greaves said a Lancashire-wide council defeated the point of local government, while the other option produced a "dog's dinner" of a council.

And Pendle MP Gordon Prentice and Pendle council leader Alan Davies said reorganisation was a waste of time and the existing councils should be left alone.

Council bosses in neighbouring Rossendale today spoke of their relief that the largely rural authority would not now be eaten into by Bury, to the south.

An original proposal to offer people the choice of an East Lancashire-wide authority was kicked out when the Government's Boundary Committee announced the options today.

Instead of merging with Hyndburn and Blackburn with Darwen, Ribble Valley would instead join with Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale to create a large, predominantly rural authority.

Mr Pike described the option of grouping Burnley, Pendle, Ribble Valley and Rossendale as an "appalling blunder."

He said: "My number one option would have been for a council of East Lancashire as a whole, and my second option was Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale.

"Ribble Valley is a much more rural constituency and is not similar to Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale at all. I think they have made an appalling blunder. It is an absolute nonsense to include the Ribble Valley.

"I just find it absolutely incomprehensible the Boundary Commission can pluck something out of the air that has never been considered."

Pendle peer, Lord Tony Greaves, said: "The option for a Lancashire wide council defeats the point of local government, while the other produces a "dog's dinner" of a council covering nearly 300,000 people from Longridge to Trawden and from the Bowland fells to Bacup.

"These areas have dozens of communities yet towns like Barnoldswick and Bacup would be too small to have their own councillors.

"A town like Colne might only have three or four councillors.

"With the huge challenges Burnley faces, what chance would there be of places like Clitheroe, Nelson or Rawtenstall getting a look in?

"The whole idea is quite stupid."

Pendle Council leader, Coun Alan Davies, said: "The option for a Lancashire County Authority is nonsense - 1.1million people would just be ridiculous.

"The revised East Lancashire options are better than previously but it would be better still if the current authorities were just left alone.

"Everybody in Pendle would prefer to be Pendle, as would people in every authority, and this has significantly increased the chance of a no vote in the referendum."

Gordon Prentice, MP for Pendle, said: "The proposed shake-up of local government in Lancashire is unnecessary and unwanted.

"There is no grass-roots demand for this shake-up. If it goes ahead, it will cost a small fortune for very limited benefit, if any."

Ribble Valley and Pendle councillors supported the idea of joining forces but Pendle's desire to join with Burnley led to four-authority option being put forward to the Boundary Committee.

Bury had suggested to the Boundary Commission that it could merge with parts of Rossendale, including Haslingden and Rawtenstall, with the Bacup and Whitworth areas merging with Burnley and Rochdale respectively.

Coun David Hancock said: "I think this is brilliant. I am really pleased that Rossendale is part of Lancashire. It seems that Bury's idea of taking part of Rossendale has been blown out of the water which is good news."