GOVERNMENT plans to regionalise police, fire and ambulance services have been condemned.

Councillor Pamela Anderson, vice-chairman of Ryedale District Council, said "These are unwanted and unaccountable regional administrations of the emergency services in North Yorkshire."

She got the backing of councillors for a motion which attackedthe proposed changes.

Coun Anderson said the public of the North-East had rejected a regional assembly in a major vote in November 2004.

She said: "The on-going transfer of powers to unelected regional quangos since that vote is taking away power from democratically accountable local councils."

Her motion rejected the proposals to regionalise the fire service and what she described as "the imposition of a distant fire control room at Easingwold".

Coun Anderson said: "The possibility of a regional police force will make the police less responsive to the people of North Yorkshire."

There were similar worries over the restructuring of the NHS ambulance trusts.

She said: "We disagree with the Deputy Prime Minister's proposals for the regionalisation of emergency services as being a desirable, legitimate or necessary tier of governance. They are unwarranted and unaccountable regional administrations."

Coun Anderson said she believed there was a real risk of district councils being "ripe for picking off" by Local Government Minister David Miliband