FOUR options have been put forward for the future of North Yorkshire if regional government becomes a reality.

The choices, set out in a Boundary Committee consultation paper, include the preferred option of the county's district councils - the division of the county into three unitary authorities.

The list of possibilities was announced on Monday, following consultation with local authorities. Public consultation now begins.

Next year, people in the Yorkshire and the Humber region will be asked to take part in a referendum on whether they want an elected regional assembly. If the answer is yes, central government will remove a layer of existing local government.

In North Yorkshire, this would mean abolishing the existing county council and seven district councils and setting up one or more new authorities.

The Boundary Committee's four options for North Yorkshire include one county-wide authority, three separate unitary bodies, and two different two-way splits.

The existing district councils favour three unitary authorities, pairing Richmondshire and Hambleton, Craven and Harrogate and Ryedale and Scarborough.

Two-way splits would merge Craven with Harrogate and put the other four districts together, or join Craven, Harrogate and Richmondshire into a Yorkshire Dales council and Hambleton, Ryedale and Scarborough into a North York Moors authority.

York City Council would remain as it is and Selby would link with the East Riding.

Coun John Blackie, leader of Richmondshire District Council, said: "One authority for North Yorkshire 100 miles wide is not the right local choice.

"The people of North Yorkshire deserve better than that. They need local representation and local services; they want to pay bills, talk to officers and look at plans without travelling a day to do it."

While the district councils would prefer to remain as they are, they were required to submit their views in case the vote favoured regional government.

Coun Blackie said three authorities would cost only marginally more than one, but would deliver better local services.

"We believe three authorities would affect council taxes less than the rises predicted in current budgets," he said.

Hambleton Council leader Coun Arthur Barker said: "Imagine an officer based in Northallerton wanting to talk to people in Whitby, Ingleton and Tadcaster. He would need three days out of the office to do that. That represents neither value for money nor does it meet local needs.

"Decision-making needs to be local and respect the variety of communities as distinct as Skipton from Scarborough or Harrogate from Hawes."

The six councils argued that all services - from education to transport and safety to social services - could be better delivered at local level.

At County Hall, there was a positive initial reaction to the committee's draft, though the preferred option would be different.

The county council leader, Coun John Weighell, said the key to good quality and effective services was size.

Sparse population added to costs, and to manage these costs required economies of scale which only large councils could secure.

"The county council did not ask for this review. We would prefer to focus all our time and energy on improving services. But if there has to be change, we want to minimise cost and disruption and maximise the economies of scale and clout with which North Yorkshire interests can be promoted.

"A single unitary authority providing all local government services is the best way to do this.

"North Yorkshire is a fine county - large, diverse, with wonderful people and a strong heritage. It is in no-one's interest to break up the county and fragment the critically-important education, social and transport services the county council currently provides."

The final options, which will be included on the regional assembly referendum ballot paper, will be made public in May.