THE Tories will not scrap the elected assembly if the North- East votes 'Yes' on November 4, the party said yesterday.

Bernard Jenkin, spokes-man on devolved government, said the referendum was a matter for local people and the Conservatives would "respect their clear decision".

But, in a speech at the Bournemouth conference, Mr Jenkin vowed to strip the assembly of any powers taken from local authorities.

He said: "Every power that Labour gives to regional assemblies, we will give back to local councils.

"Housing, transport, planning, special development, waste management, culture, fire and rescue.

"We'll end Labour's phoney regional agenda. Councillors should be free to serve their communities. They should be not be working for Whitehall."

This week, Tory leader Michael Howard suggested his party would accept devolution in the North-East if the vote was "clear, legitimate and authoritative".

That left open the possibility of scrapping the elected body if the turnout next month is pitiful.

Mr Jenkin mocked Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott for claiming the assembly would "bring decision-making closer to the people".

He said: "In fact, they take power away from local government, abolishing hundreds of part-time local councillors.

"In fact, they will have no power to call their own. The words secretary of state appears no less than 229 times in the draft assemblies Bill, each time setting Whitehall targets and reserving his powers.

"He says regions will reduce bureaucracy. In fact, the experience in Scotland, Wales and London is that bureaucracy will only increase."

Calling Labour's plans "fake devolution'", Mr Jenkin added: "Regions are another wasteful, bureaucratic tier of government, which will not add a single extra teacher, nurse or policeman to our failing public services."