THE Government has drawn fierce Tory criticism over moves to axe the five councils in Wiltshire and replace them with an all-purpose authority.

Under an order set to be backed by the Commons, the districts of Kennet, North Wiltshire, Salisbury and West Wiltshire will be swept away along with the top-tier county council.

Local government minister John Healey said the new countywide authority could prove to be a flagship for the rest of the country to follow.

All the local government services will come under the umbrella of the unitary authority covering a population of more than 400,000.

Mr Healey said: "Our approach provides for a transition which is effective, one that is as efficient as possible, one that avoids as far as possible disruption to services, one that we believe gives a good deal to citizens and to service users."

He said the order is "fair, one that is credible to council staff and above all one that will open the door to creating what in Wiltshire could be one of the flagship local authorities for our country in the future".

But North Wiltshire Tory MP James Gray, pictured, said the move had not been called for by Wiltshire residents.

He asked Mr Healey: "How do you explain the fact that the Mori poll shows something like 71 per cent opposed and all four district councils were clearly opposed by polling?"

Mr Healey replied that that there was widespread support from business and the business community for the plans.

The first elections are expected to be held in May next year.

Representatives of the five councils, that will disappear when the new unitary authority comes into being, met for the first time last week.

The implementation executive, which will oversee the transition from the county council and four district councils, met at County Hall, 14 months before what has been dubbed Vesting Day. The 17 councillors who met at the informal meeting were updated on the progress of the amalgamation.

The Government also plans to bring in unitary councils at Cornwall, Durham, Northumberland and Shropshire. Two such authorities are planned in Cheshire.