WORCESTERSHIRE will not be given a "veto" over proposals to abolish councils across the county to make way for a mini-Parliament, it has emerged.

Earlier this month the Evening News revealed every district council in the county would be axed, along with the County Council, if a West Midlands Regional Assembly is supported by a referendum.

The County Council would be scrapped altogether while the districts would be rolled together to make larger "unitary authorities" working with the assembly.

Mid Worcestershire MP Peter Luff, who is opposed to regional assemblies, wanted Worcestershire to be given a veto to sink the plans if a majority of the county's residents oppose them.

But, in a written Parliamentary answer, Ministers said individual counties would not be allowed to vote separately. There will be a single vote of the whole region.

"We do not believe that individual local authorities should be able to veto the establishment of an elected regional assembly where people in the region have voted for one in an assembly," said Local Government Minister Dr Alan Whitehead.

Mr Luff said this would allow a simple majority of voters in the West Midlands to overrule local opposition in counties like Worcestershire and impose regional government - and the abolition of the counties - on the whole region.

"The centre of the West Midlands - Birmingham, the Black Country and the rest - with its three million votes can outvote the shires with their two million votes," said Mr Luff. "The Government should be ashamed of what they are trying to do to us."

The assembly would have powers for economic development, regeneration, skills and culture, housing and transport. A referendum will only be triggered if a specific percentage of the population wants one.