COUNCILLORS will be asked to reject plans for City of York Council to merge with Scarborough, Selby and Ryedale at a meeting tomorrow.

Government devolution plans for North Yorkshire - which include extra cash for the region - are linked to local government restructure proposals.

The council needs to submit a response to plans for the merger to Government by November 9 - and is asking businesses and residents in the city to support the reply in further consultations.

Government will then launch another consultation about the options in the new year, with a decision due to be made by summer 2021.

A council spokesperson says that if the Government decides City of York Council should stay as it is, it will progress to devolution and help to establish a mayoral combined authority - which means two or more independent councils teaming up to create a body - by April 2022.

But if Government decides York should merge, a shadow authority will be rolled out to work towards creating the new local authority.

The could take about two years - meaning it would be complete by April 2023, the council says.

It adds that scrapping a council and creating a new one is subject to legislation under a process mapped out by Parliament.

The meeting takes place from 6pm tomorrow. Watch at youtube.com/user/cityofyorkcouncil.