South West Norfolk MP Christopher Fraser joined Conservative councillors and activists to alert people to the current local government review.

It was part of an action day by leading Tories across Norfolk drawing attention to what they see as the Government's attempt to force unitary local authorities on the county.

The review, being carried out by the Boundary Committee, could lead to one tier of local authorities controlling key services such as schools, planning and rubbish collection, replacing the current county council and district council set-up in Norfolk.

But Mr Fraser said: "A move to one-size-fits-all unitary authorities would be a centralising measure, taking local government further away from the people it is supposed to represent.

"Wholesale reorganisation is unnecessary, unpopular and a shocking waste of council taxpayers' money."

He said Norfolk was a large county and the needs of people in places such as Downham, Swaffham and the surrounding villages was very different to those in central Norwich.

His constituency agent Ian Sherwood said it was apparent on Saturday that the public had not been made aware of the review by the Boundary Committee or central government – and some people learned about it for the first time in a special feature in Friday's Lynn News.

Conservatives believe that unitary authorities will lead to much higher costs for Norfolk taxpayers without providing one extra teacher, care worker or police officer, he said.

South West Norfolk Conservative Association chairman David Hills, who was also campaigning and leafleting in Downham, said: "Here in South West Norfolk we are lucky to have very well run councils, one (Breckland) with the lowest district council tax in England.

"Why then is the Government doing this when no one has asked for it and the public doesn't even get a say in it? We believe the proposed unitary councils will cost more and take the contact further away from the public – we see it as part of our role to tell the public what's going on."