Self rule for Yorkshire comes closer to reality next month with a major conference in York.

Regional MPs, business representatives, local authority leaders, trade unionists and educationalists are among delegates meeting at the College of Ripon and York in an effort to draw up plans to devolve power from London to the region.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott is said to be interested in speaking at the meeting, which has attracted attention from the national media.

It is a move towards what onlookers suspect could be the major constitutional reform of a Labour Government's second term of office, but which also has strong backing from Liberal Democrats.

Jane Thomas, director of the Campaign for Yorkshire which has organised the convention, said: "The issue is being debated all around the country and many are now recognising that there could be a substantial benefit to their regions by devolving some powers from Whitehall and Westminster.

"The aim is to bring together regional stakeholders and interested individuals to consider the options for regional government."

Mrs Thomas said proposals are not expected to be for a Yorkshire parliament.

She said: "Some people think they are for a parliament, others think they are for another tier of local government, but it is neither of these things."I suspect what would happen is that some powers will be devolved, giving regional powers for things like transport, the environment, culture and sport."Uniting the region would have definite benefits for things like transport, giving more scope for an integrated system unbroken by local authority boundaries, she said.

"We have two main political parties committed to this and we are getting quite a bit of kudos," said Mrs Thomas.

"Because Yorkshire has such a strong sense of culture and identity, we are also finding we have a lot of public support."

The York Convention on Exploring Regional Government is being held on October 21.

adam.nichols@ycp.co.uk