NORTH Wiltshire District Council could be set to join the rest of the county in fighting against the recent decision to create a unitary super authority.

Wiltshire County Council's bid to become a unitary authority for the whole county, outside of Swindon, was approved by the Government last month.

But three of the four district council's have already submitted their calls for a judicial review of the decision, and Wootton Bassett district councillor Peter Doyle is calling on North Wiltshire to back their bids against the status.

Coun Doyle (Con, Wootton Bassett South) has submitted a motion in favour of the review, which will be up for discussion at the district council meeting next Tuesday.

North Wiltshire initially supported the county's unitary bid but withdrew that support in June to align itself with the three other districts, West Wiltshire, Kennet and Salisbury.

The motion, seconded by Wootton Bassett councillor Mollie Groom, calls for the council to join the calls for a review, so long as the cost does not exceed £10,000.

It also proposes a public referendum in North Wiltshire to test the levels of public support in the area.

Coun Doyle said: "It is not only logical but morally right that North Wiltshire District Council should join with the other three Wiltshire districts in pursuing judicial review.

"Logical, because the council withdrew its support for the Wiltshire County Council unitary bid in June.

"It is also morally right, because since North Wiltshire would share in a positive outcome from the judicial review it should share the relatively small financial cost of such action which would test the overbearing power of a Government and county council that ignores both public opinion and the declared assessment criteria required for local government reorganisation proposals to succeed."

Wiltshire County Council claims that the switchover will lead to annual savings of £18m for taxpayers up to 2012, as well as creating a more effective set-up.

Former Wootton Bassett mayor and town and district councillor Chris Wannell has already welcomed the decision to create a single authority in Wiltshire, although he accepts many people's fears that power could be taken away from local people.

Speaking at the time of the decision, Coun Wannell said: "I am pleased we will still be part of Wiltshire but we don't know the full details of what is going to be involved.

"We have to accept the decision that has been made by Government, but what I will say is that we must have local people for local democracy.

"I don't want politicians from outside the town coming in and taking over."