YORK will argue its case with Government for keeping the council as it is - rather than merging with Scarborough, Selby and Ryedale councils.

Councillors voted to reject plans to reorganise local government in the city as part of a devolution deal.

Council leader Keith Aspden said: "Any change to York’s footprint would either increase the cost to residents, or stretch services further, thus making it harder to meet York’s own unique challenges.

"Our position as a council is clear; decisions that affect York’s residents, businesses and communities, should be made in York.

“At the same time, by rejecting local government reorganisation for York, Full Council has also agreed to continue to progress devolution for York."

But York's two Conservative councillors voted against the proposals, favouring a move to merge councils.

Conservative Cllr Martin Rowley said: "A bigger council would see much more efficiency savings and better working, including an ability to get better people and whole new roles that a council of 200,000 residents cannot manage – especially in adult social care and young people.

"The geography of City of York Council that the Lib Dems are so wedded to has been in existence for barely 20 years and people in what was York Council for most of the 1990s and before would have been bemused at the idea that the likes of Poppleton and Wheldrake would be classed as York, yet we have seen that change."

Government is set to decide by summer 2021 if the merger should go ahead.