WORCESTERSHIRE County Council will be scrapped under Labour's plans for regional assemblies, MP Peter Luff has warned.

And the Mid-Worcestershire MP also claimed the restructuring could cost £50m in Worcestershire alone - potentially increasing regional council taxes to pay for new politicians.

Mr Luff made the comments after seizing on the admission by Government Minister Lord Falconer that setting up assemblies would create "one tier of government too many".

Mr Luff, who claimed he had been warning of this danger for a long time, said Labour's plans for regional assemblies would mean the end of Britain's historic counties, like Worcestershire.

"Rather than devolving responsibilities to local communities across Worcestershire, Labour is going to transfer power to a new tier of regional politicians based in Birmingham," he said.

"This means people in Wychavon and around the county will have less say over issues like planning, housing and local transport."

Labour pledged in its election manifesto to allow any region, where the people wanted it, to stage a referendum on setting up and elected assembly.

The Government is expected to issue a consultation paper early next year on the process for staging a referendum on setting up an assembly.

But the Tory MP said the plans would be a "waste" of taxpayers' money which he said should be used on more pressing issues.

"As ever, taxpayers' money is being wasted on bureaucracy and red tape, rather than improving schools and social services," Mr Luff added.

A county council spokesman said: "We are taking a serious interest in these proposals and are keen to follow their progress but at the present time we are unable to comment further until we have more details."