PAVEMENTS are kept clean by the district councils and Cheshire County Council looks after the road.

Domestic rubbish is collected by a district council but then buried in the ground by the county.

These are just two examples of the confusing and costly way in which local government is organised in Cheshire.

At the moment the county is responsible for education, strategic planning, transport planning, passenger transport, highways, fire, social services, libraries and waste disposal.

Districts have a housing role too; they determine planning applications, run leisure and recreation facilities, collect waste, run an environmental heath department and collect Council Tax and business rates.

So to make life simpler and cheaper for Council Tax-payers, the Government is going ahead with plans to create single councils which run virtually everything.

Over the next 12 weeks, it is consulting key stakeholders over the proposals for local government.

However, spokesman Joshua Coe said it was an 'open consultation' and members of the public are encouraged to get in touch.

The decision will be taken in July, with the structure coming into place in April 2009.

Key stakeholders include the Arts Council England, the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Audit Commission, English Heritage, Chambers of Commerce, NHS health trusts and universities and colleges.

Members of the public can send comments, no later than June 22, to: Communities and Local Government, Zone 5/E8, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London, SW1E 5DU or e-mail str uctures@communities.gsi.gov.uk