A NEW survey has revealed that a shocking number of people are ignorant of plans to shake up East Lancashire's political boundaries.

Proposals for a regional assembly for the North West were first put to the public for consultation in December.

In East Lancashire, options include Blackburn with Darwen teaming up with Burnley, Pendle, Hyndburn, Ribble Valley and parts of Rossendale.

On May 25, the Boundary Committee for England, which commissioned the poll, will publish its final recommendations.

But half of all people questioned by MORI admitted to knowing nothing about the plans.

But up to 50 per cent of people interviewed in most areas knew nothing about the local government review.

In Chorley, 46 per cent had not heard of it; in Hyndburn 48 per cent, in Pendle 58 per cent, in Ribble Valley 44 per cent, in Rossendale 35 per cent, and in South Ribble 49 per cent.

Burnley has the lowest level of knowledge in the whole of Lancashire, with just four per cent of the 304 people polled claiming to know a 'great deal' or 'fair amount' about the review. And 62 per cent of the town's people questioned had not even heard of it.

Across East Lancashire, more than 2,000 people were interviewed, in two-tier authorities. Blackburn with Darwen was not polled, as the area will remain one-tier, or a unitary authority.

Most people interviewed chose option put forward by Lancashire County Council, to create a giant unitary authority, as their least popular option.