BATTLING Ribble Valley Council has called two public meetings to discuss plans to merge the rural borough with neighbouring authorities in a proposed local government shake-up.

The special "open floor" meetings will give residents the chance to have their say on plans by the Boundary Committee to merge Ribble Valley with Blackburn or other East Lancashire authorities if voters give a North West Regional Assembly the thumbs-up.

Residents across the North West will be asked in October whether they want municipal affairs to be run by a regional assembly.

If they say yes, district councils such as Ribble Valley will disappear, with municipal affairs being run by huge unitary authorities.

Ribble Valley councillors put forward proposals for an enhanced Ribble Valley Unitary Authority or Hyndburn merger to the Boundary Committee last August.

But the Boundary Committee wants to merge Ribble Valley with Blackburn and Hyndburn or create unitary authorities covering the whole of Lancashire.

A meeting was held last week in which councillors reiterated their position and called for the Boundary Commission to agree to its plan of a joint Ribble Valley, Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale super-council.

Local authorities have until February 23 to respond to the draft recommendations, after which the Boundary Committee will make final recommendations to the Government in time for October's referendum.

Ribble Valley Borough Council leader Chris Holtom said: "The last time Ribble Valley faced extinction was during the Local Government Review in 1994, when the council came out fighting. If necessary, we'll do it again.

"I strongly urge residents to attend these meetings and make their views known. If it is their wish that the borough remain intact, the council will fight until the bitter end on their behalf."

Voluntary and community groups, parish and town councils are expected to attend the public meetings.

They will take place on Monday, February 9, at 7pm, in the Ribble Valley Council Chamber, Church Brow, Clitheroe; and Thursday, February 19, at 7pm, in Longridge Civic Hall, Willows Park Lane, Longridge.