BLACKPOOL Liberal Democrat leader Robert Wynne is to ask for immediate consultation with the town's residents about how they would like to be governed.

Mr Wynne is to call on local Labour leaders at next week's full council meeting to ask the public what changes to the style of local government they would like to see.

But Mr Wynne, who hopes for a more consultative and open style of local government, is sceptical about the proposals leaders will adopt.

He said: "The Government are proposing to make radical changes to the way local council's operate. We have the option of having an elected mayor or a cabinet style local government and the Government are saying to local authorities they should be asking people now what sort of local government they want.

"However, Labour still seem intent on making decisions on their own behind closed doors.

"You can bet the proposals they come up with will be designed primarily to serve the local Labour Party rather than the people as a whole."

But council leader Ivan Taylor rejects the statement saying: "This is nonsense. There is no way The Labour Party would bring in a permanent arrangement for the way local government is run without a whole scale public opinion test.

"Mr Wynne's suggestions of closed doors aren't right. All council meetings, unless they are governed by certain rules, are open to the public who are more than welcome to come along."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.