A SENIOR Tory paid a visit to the new Conservative-controlled Selby District Council - and blasted Government plans for an elected regional assembly as "just another layer of bureaucracy".

David Lidington, Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs, called in at Selby Civic Centre yesterday for lunch with council leader Mark Crane and his cabinet.

This was followed by a visit to local members of the National Farmers' Union to listen to their concerns in the wake of talks in Europe regarding the Common Agricultural Policy.

It was Mr Lidington's first visit to the area and the first visit by a high-profile Conservative since the party took control of the council from Labour on May 1.

Mr Lidington said: "It's very difficult to take outright control of a council. It was the result of a lot of hard work put in by party members in Selby, not just weeks before the election but over many months."

Yesterday's announcement by Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, that there will be a referendum in autumn 2004 on an assembly for Yorkshire and the Humber was greeted with strong opposition by Mr Lidington and Tory leaders in Selby.

"It would mean yet another layer of bureaucracy and the people of Selby would no longer have members of a district council directly accountable to them," said Mr Lidington.

"I think the Government does need to show more clarity about its plans because fundamentally they have failed to say how people's lives would be any better.

"The regions they have designated are completely artificial."

His sentiments were echoed by Coun Crane who said they would work hard over the next year to prove the worth of the district council to voters.

Coun Crane said: "If a regional assembly goes ahead, my fear is that it will be the end of decision-making in Selby.

"Selby has its own issues and is quite a distinct area. I can't see any scenario where we could be incorporated into a unitary authority successfully."

Updated: 12:17 Tuesday, June 17, 2003