Voters across the Fylde look set to be denied the chance to give their verdict on the way their area is run.

Government ministers are expected to call off the 2007 elections at which more than 100 councillors from Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre are due to face the public after four years in office.

The move, which could be officially announced before Easter, has been prompted by a local government reorganisation which would see the end of Lancashire County Council and reignite the debate over a massive 'City of the Fylde' authority.

Politicians from across the political spectrum have condemned any move to stop next year's vote

Cllr Geoff Horrocks, leader of the Labour group on Wyre Borough Council, said: "I don't think that would do anybody any favours. To postpone the election, for however long, is not in the interests of our group and is not in the interests of democracy.

"We should be accountable to our electorate and we do that by standing for election every four years."

Cllr Horrocks said he would favour merging urban areas of Wyre with Blackpool in a bid to access multi-million pound funding for deprived areas of the borough and because of a situation where houses on the same street are paying different levels of council tax to different authorities.

In Fylde, where the Conservatives hold a slender overall majority of just one, leader, Cllr John Coombes, says he favours a merger with Wyre. He expressed concern over the democratic implications of a delayed election but said: "One saving grace is that we can use that extra time to make sure that we get better value for the people of Fylde."

But Blackpool Conservative leader, Cllr Peter Callow, said: "I'm opposed to any more meddling by the government in local politics.

"They are talking about people continuing to serve for an extra two years. That can't be good for democracy. Four years is quite a reasonable length of time for any councillor to serve."

Blackpool Liberal Democrats have welcomed the prospect of reorganisation but have criticised the delayed election as undemocratic.

"Blackpool and Wyre Liberal Democrats are very concerned about reports that the 2007 local elections may be scrapped," the group said in a statement: "In Blackpool last time, Lib Dems got over 22 per cent of the votes, but a clapped out electoral system only allowed us 10 per cent of the councillors.

"Even with a faulty system Lib Dems are not afraid of democracy, but are Labour afraid of the people?"

Council leaders and chief executives from across Lancashire will meet with local government minister, David Milliband, early next month, to discuss reorganisation. In a statement last week Mr Milliband said he 'expects' next year's election to go ahead.

If they are delayed councillors will stay in office until 2009 - the sixth year of their four-year term - before being replaced by a new authority. New councillors may be elected as a shadow authority in 2008 at the earliest.