MORE power should be granted to local communities to give them a greater say on what happens in their area, town and parish councils across the county have declared.

The proposal is outlined in a progressive new blueprint published by the Cumbria Association of Local Councils.

Drawn up after months of consultation with the county's 269 town and parish councils and parish meetings, the Statement of Policies 2005 recommends a larger degree of decision-making power should fall at the feet of local councils, which it states are better able to represent the feeling of the community.

The proposals include allowing more parish council influence over the way county and district council services are delivered locally, allowing town and parish councils to take over local services where they think they could do a better job as well as setting them up as a primary source of community opinion.

The document also sets out that housing needs should be decided locally rather than in regional plans and that local planning decisions should reflect local circumstances rather than follow blanket policies.

Adrian Dalton, chairman of the Cumbria Association of Local Councils, said the blueprint was completely in tune with Government policies for stronger communities and parish councils.

"But there is a growing regional agenda in the north west of England," he added.

"I fear for the future of Cumbria's communities unless they have a strong town or parish councils speaking up for them and working with others to deliver services that communities really want, rather than what others think they want."