COUNCIL chiefs in York still expect to hold next spring's local council elections in the city - despite leaked documents suggesting polls across the country could be scrapped.

Coun Andrew Waller, City of York Council's deputy leader, said plans to abandon elections in 2007 because of a planned shake-up in local government would be "unusual".

According to documents, officials at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have informed council chiefs the elections may be postponed.

But Local Government Minister David Miliband has denied the polls would be called off.

He said: "We expect and intend the 2007 elections to go ahead. We are having a mature discussion, and we will make our position clear in the middle of this year."

Mr Miliband is heading up a consultation exercise on revamping local authorities.

Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh claimed to have "lifted the lid" on that shake-up, claiming Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott planned to scrap North Yorkshire's district and county councils.

She said the costs of this restructuring could be between £201 and £358 per household. Across North Yorkshire, the total bill could be £47 million.

Miss McIntosh said: "The cat is now out of the bag that John Prescott is plotting to wipe North Yorkshire's councils off the municipal map.

"Combined with the plans for regional police and fire forces, this is all about making way for unelected regional bureaucrats and sidelining democratically-elected councillors.

"If the Government wants to save money, it should start by scrapping John Prescott's tiers of regional politicians who have no mandate, no legitimacy and no accountability. Only Conservatives will stand up to the growing regional state, protect our local identities and restore power to local communities."

About 300 English councils are due to hold elections in May 2007, including York.

By that time, the Government hopes to have passed legislation reorganising local government, which would mean electing the new councils in 2008, so that they could take over in 2009. A White Paper on local council reform is due in November.

But Coun Waller said: "We have been through local government reorganisation relatively recently and have just finished paying for it.

"I don't foresee there being any good reason to reorganise local government in the city environment.

"We will be working on the basis of elections in 2007."

The fire service will cost residents an extra £1.36 next year, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority confirmed today. The authority set its precept increase at 2.6 per cent for 2006 to 2007, equating to an extra £1.36 or 2.6 pence per week. The increase is in line with the Government's inflation estimates.

The low increase was likely to be mirrored in council tax increases across North Yorkshire's district councils.

Although final decisions have yet to be taken, Hambleton District Council plans to raise tax by three per cent, while Ryedale District Council has proposed a 2.5 per cent increase.

Updated: 09:19 Thursday, February 09, 2006