The Bradford Chamber of Commerce and Industry says it cannot see what improvements elected regional assemblies would bring to the regions.

The Government recently released its White Paper Your Region, Your Choice: Revitalising the English Regions on its proposals for elected regional assemblies.

The Chamber says many of the proposals are either "unworkable, uncostable or unnecessary - or often all three".

It says the White Paper is also too vague on many of the details needed if such constitutional change were to become effective.

The Chamber said it was "not intrinsically opposed to the re-organisation of government as laid down here, but genuinely cannot identify what improvements it will bring. We would support the view that the centralisation of government services over the last two decades has hindered attempts at improving local public services, but we do not feel that these proposals will assuage that view.

"We maintain that a majority of services are best delivered locally - not regionally or sub-regionally - and that this White Paper should be withdrawn so that powers can be devolved, wherever possible, to local level."

Elected Regional Assemblies (ERAs) are being pushed as a way to give the country's regions a 'voice'. They are also seen as a means of reducing economic differences.

The Chamber added: "Such a move would be unnecessary as there are already government regional offices, regional development agencies, MPs and unelected, or, as they prefer to be called, 'indirectly elected', regional assemblies, not to mention local authorities and MEPs, to offer soundings, convey views and lobby on behalf of the general populace."