WE are in favour of the theory of regional government.

The North-East has an identity of its own unlike practically all the other English regions. It has identifiable borders. It has its own specific problems. It feels very, very distant from its Whitehall masters. It would like to take more day-to-day control of its own affairs. It is a region that would benefit from having one body taking an overall view of things like its transport and tourism rather than allowing individual councils to pull in differing directions.

In theory, then, regional government would work well in the North-East.

But there are buts. As our poll, with its slim majority in favour and its large quotient of 'don't knows', shows, the referendum is there to be won by either the 'yes' or the 'no' campaign.

There are fears that this is just another "jobs for the boys" exercise, and there are concerns from business that an assembly will impose more expense and red tape upon it.

These fears have to be addressed, but two big buts stand out to ordinary voters:

* The fear that Newcastle will dominate the assembly and overshadow all the other areas. Therefore, the assembly has to be located in Durham City, if only to remind the elected Newcastle representatives as they see the Tyne disappearing in their rear view mirrors that it is not about just their conurbation but the whole of the North-East. The south of the region will just turn away from the concept and not turn out at the referendum if it is told that the assembly is to be based in Newcastle.

* The 'yes' campaign has to show in practical terms how the assembly will benefit ordinary people. It has to show that the assembly will be more than just an expensive talking shop. It is all well and good having academic discussions about the need for regional representation; ordinary people need to be enthused. So we need real examples of what decisions will be taken up here and not in Whitehall.

We need real examples of what projects an assembly would hope to drive through within its first few years in office: up-grading of the A66 and A1; a light railway system for Teesside; genuine economic redevelopment for areas suffering manufacturing meltdown; a concerted effort to exploit the railway heritage scattered throughout the region.

Others may have other ideas, but such ideas would prove that the assembly would make a real, cost-effective, difference to ordinary people's lives.

We await with great interest, and hope, to see if the attractive theory can become a worthwhile reality.