LANCASHIRE County Council is set to officially oppose plans for a referendum on plans for a regional assembly in the North West.

All 78 county councillors voted to fight plans for a referendum on the grounds there was insufficient support from the public and said the proposals were insufficiently democratic.

Every party on the county council said they were now committed to "actively" oppose current legislation which might abolish the county council and existing district councils.

Under plans announced in November's Queen's Speech, the Government will give the green light for a poll on regional assemblies in areas where support for such a body exists.

Lancashire County Council last week blasted the North West Regional Assembly -- currently just a quango of councils which lobbies for money but which has desires to become an directly-elected authority in its own right -- for putting out what it called 'misleading' information which suggested there was support for a regional assembly.

County council leader Hazel Harding said the authority still supported a regional assembly, but only one which saw power devolved from London, not from existing councils.

She said: "What is on offer does not offer any meaningful devolution of power from Westminster to the North West. Such an assembly's strategic role would have no powers over major services such as health and education.

"There are no differences between the parties here. We agree there is barely any support for a referendum."