City of York Council's executive will debate some of the key issues facing the city as a result of proposals to hold a referendum on regional government in Yorkshire and Humberside.

Senior members will discuss the main regional issues at their meeting on Tuesday, 15 July. The three immediate issues are: The regional government referendum in Autumn 2004 Reorganisation of local government - replacing two tier authorities with unitary councils, which will be necessary if a regional government for Yorkshire and Humberside is agreed Where the seat of regional government will be located The council has previously given conditional support to a referendum, but has expressed concerns about the relative power of metropolitan versus rural areas; ensuring transparency in decision making; and that the powers of the new body are taken from central government, not local authorities. David Atkinson, the council's chief executive, said: "This is an issue the council simply cannot ignore. A regional government would have potentially wide ranging powers, including responsibility for strategies on economic development, transport, housing and waste and whilst the council has given provisional support to a referendum in the region, it has a number of concerns about the way a regional government might work." Members will also discuss how to deal with a potential change to the council's boundaries if a regional government is agreed and unitary authorities replace two-tier councils. One of the main concerns is that only residents in two-tier areas will be able to vote on any boundary changes and York residents will not have a say on how the reorganisation may affect them. The executive will also debate whether members believe that the seat of any new regional assembly should be in York and if so, how they can influence the decision. There are several reasons why York might be considered as the natural seat of regional government. York is perceived by many as the natural capital of Yorkshire and Humberside and plays a prominent part within the region. It also has excellent national transport links and would provide a balance between metropolitan and rural areas. However, it is also possible that other, less prosperous areas might be chosen to help in their regeneration. The council will also consider the long term position of York within the region, which is a key issue, regardless of the outcome of the Autumn 2004 referendum.