SCRAPPING and replacing the North West Regional Assembly has left taxpayers with a bill of £27,000, it can be revealed.

The assembly, set up in 1998 to promote the North West, control planning developments and work with councils, has been replaced by a new “regional leaders forum” called 4NW.

The new body has a similar role but a different structure and still uses the same base in Wigan.

Figures released to the Lancashire Telegraph under the Freedom of Information Act reveal almost £20,000 was spent on “marketing”, including £13,900 producing the new logo and brand, and £2,387 on five exhibition stands.

A leaflet called “who we are and what we do” cost £3,200. On top of the marketing costs, £7,900 was spent on consultants.

England’s eight regional assemblies, which were made up of councillors and oversaw multi-million pound budgets, were criticised as being an extra layer of bureaucracy.

The government has now decided to transfer some of their role to the business-based regional development agencies and the slimmed-down 4NW was set up in July.

A spokesman for 4NW said the reduced size had led to savings.