Caradon, Carrick, Kerrier and Penwith District Councils are to hold a local poll on Cornwall County Council's proposal for a unitary council to ensure that Cornwall's council tax payers have a say in the most expensive change to local government in 30 years.

At the end of March this year, central government decided that a proposal by Cornwall County Council to change the governance in Cornwall to a single unitary authority would advance to a three month consultation stage. During this twelve week period through April, May and June, key stakeholders are to be given the chance to give their views on the proposal.

However, the residents of Cornwall are not included on the government's list of people to be asked for their views. Kerrier, Caradon, Carrick and Penwith District Councils believe that the tax payers should be given their say on what is the biggest decision facing Cornwall in over thirty years and will have an impact for many years to come.

The four district councils have agreed to hold a local poll and wrote to Cornwall County Council two and a half weeks ago inviting the county council to become involved in the process. While the county council's chief executive, Sheila Healy, has recently responded saying that she is anxious to discuss the matter, the county has not agreed a date for discussion even though the consultation period is now down to its final six weeks.

A cross party group of five county councillors has since forced an extraordinary general meeting on May 9 to press Cornwall County Council for a referendum of everyone in Cornwall on the issue of a unitary council for Cornwall.

In response, the county council's leader, Councillor David Whalley, has claimed that there is not time for a poll of all residents, as it would take four months to organise.

The four districts will be carrying out their poll in the next few weeks using an independent body to conduct the poll to ensure that it is totally fair and unbiased. To ensure that the public have the full facts to make an informed decision, information will be published as to the key aspects of the unitary proposal along with an independent review of the proposal by one of the UK's leading experts on local government reorganisation, Professor Michael Chisholm.

The districts hope that residents will take the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the arguments for and against Cornwall County Council's proposal for a unitary council and use their vote to support what they believe will be best long term for the county.