BUSINESS leaders and organisations in North Yorkshire have called for a referendum to determine whether Yorkshire should have its own elected assembly.

Speakers from a range of firms argued at a press conference organised by Campaign For Yorkshire at the Queens Hotel, Leeds, that a referendum would decisively resolve the argument about whether an elected assembly would benefit the region.

The issue flared yet again last week when Deputy Prime Minster John Prescott called on Yorkshire to gee-up the process of devolving government.

It came to a critical point yesterday when the Government's formal consultation period ended for discussions over which regions would be the first to have a referendum

The Campaign For Yorkshire argues that while the north-east has definitely thrown its devolution hat into the ring and the north-west is now considering it, Yorkshire has to make its bid quickly in order not to lose out

If a Yorkshire Parliament is established it would sound the death knell of North Yorkshire County Council.

Introducing the speakers at the conference at the Queens Hotel, Leeds, was Julian Cummins, a founder of the Campaign for Yorkshire.

Afterwards, he said: "Representatives from trade associations and company directors have spoken in support of letting the region decide for itself whether there should be a referendum. Businesses recognise that an elected regional assembly could bring substantial benefits to the region's businesses.

"We have sent an important message to the Government which will be listened to carefully. The campaign for a referendum is broad- based and enjoys support from all sections of the community."

Factory bosses at the conference argued that only a strong region could deal with the issue of skills in manufacturing which had been in decline for 30 years and Professor Anthony Fretwell-Dowling, chairman of Sheffield-based Fretwell Dowling Group Ltd argued that there were many examples of successful region-wide collaborative working - such as the universities in the region which had formed the White Rose Consortium.

Denis Kaye, deputy chairman of the Institute of Directors' Yorkshire region said: "The theory of an elected regional assembly has attractions, but we need to have a debate about it. The referendum will be a good way to bring this into the limelight."

This view was echoed by Graham Keddie, managing director of Knaresborough-based GSPK. He said: "I would like to see the issue of an elected assembly debated properly."

John Hartley of the Chartered Institute of Marketing said: "Awareness of this issue is low. The business benefits may be overwhelming - but the case is not proven and a debate over a referendum would bring this out into the open."

Updated: 09:03 Tuesday, March 04, 2003