COUNTY-wide councils are likely to disappear if local government is re-organised following next year's regional assembly referendum.

According to the group campaigning to preserve and merge district councils in Cheshire, that was the message to come out of the regional assembly launch by John Prescott.

Speaking on behalf of all the Cheshire districts, Cllr Roland Domleo, leader of Congleton Borough Council, said: 'I believe John Prescott gave a hint that he did not see unitary counties as the way forward.

'He immediately followed this by reaffirming the government had set no maximum or minimum sizes for unitary authorities.'

The districts claim this 'surge of recognition for the logic of district-based unitary authorities' comes in the wake of MORI research conducted for the Boundary Committee of England showing that Cheshire residents identify most strongly with their local communities and demand services which are responsive to local needs.

74per cent of interviewees in Ellesmere Port & Neston felt they strongly belonged to their neighbourhood.

This message gave welcome backing to recommendations made by Cheshire's six district councils, for three new, unitary authorities using existing boundaries - including this borough merging with Chester to form Chester and West Cheshire District Council.

The district campaign groups also say the size of any unitary authority was an important issue highlighted by the research.

Congleton Borough Council chief executive Peter Cooper said: 'It is clear residents see themselves as members of their communities first, rather than citizens of Cheshire.

'Many of them live, work and shop within these communities and the research confirms the fact they want a council which is in-touch with their needs .

'We believe what we are seeing, both in this research and among informed local commentators, is the clear view future local government must and will be based on the kind of modern councils being proposed by the Cheshire districts.'