I AM writing to let readers know about a major constitutional change which could have a significant effect on all our lives in the region, and how your readers can influence the issue.

The opportunity to have our own regional government in the North-west is being offered by the Government. This would mean that more of the big decisions about transport, jobs, housing and the environment being taken here in the region and less by bureaucrats in London.

An average working person in London is almost 50 per cent better off than someone in this region. And, despite the fact that the North-west contributes more to the national economy than five other regions, our citizens are the second worst off. The last 25 years have shown that London will not work to close the North-South divide, it is only here in the region that we can act.

On the other hand, the Government is insisting that any region that goes ahead with a directly elected regional assembly must also undertake a reorganisation of local government to cut down on layers of local bureaucracy. If you live in a unitary council, this will not affect you. But, in areas where there are both district councils and a county council, this will involve change and a move to one council being responsible for all your local services.

If you believe that people in the North-west should have the right to be heard concerning this major constitutional change -- whether they support change or oppose it -- then you now have the opportunity to ask Nick Raynsford, the Minister responsible, for a referendum. You can write to: Rt Hon Nick Raynsford MP, Minister of State for Local Government and the Regions, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London, SW1E 5DU, or you can give your views on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister website: www.regions.odpm.gov.uk/go

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The Minister will be taking soundings until March 3 to decide which regions will have a referendum.

Derek Boden

Leader of the North West Regional Assembly

Not every region will have the opportunity to hold a referendum, but the North-west is considered to be one of the favourites to go ahead.

Independent opinion polls show that support for regional government is high in the North-west but the only real test of public opinion is through a referendum, in which every single one of us has our say. So please let him know what you think by then. I believe that these are important issues -- so important that everyone in the region should have their say on them through a referendum.