RIBBLE Valley councillors all voted to oppose any potential merger with another authority last night.

A council meeting was held to discuss a Government white paper, which offers the chance for council mergers and new unitary authorities running major local services.

But Ribble Valley members present unanimously agreed to oppose any other authority seeking to merge with them to form a single unitary body.

The vote came after Pendle's Liberal Democrat leader Coun Alan Davies suggested Ribble Valley could become part of a possible three-way merger involving Burnley to better serve local people.

But at last night's meeting Ribble Valley Conservative spokesman Coun Mike Ranson said: "This council is not interested in overtures from Burnley, Pendle, Blackburn or elsewhere.

"We are not interested in such a marriage or courtship and are happy to stay single and celibate."

Ribble Valley leader Coun John Hill said the Tory-run council's future would be best served if it maintained and enhanced the two-tier system with Lancashire County Council.

He said: "Talk of a merger is very premature. We are prepared to talk to anybody but everyone seems to be after the jewel in the crown of local government. They seem to want to jump in to bed with us at the moment.

"I don't think any merger would be allowed. It would be untenable and unsustainable and would undermine other local authorities in the area."

Liberal Democrat Coun Frank Dyson said a two-tier was the way forward but the Ribble Valley had to take the lead and put forward what it wanted from the county.