More than ten county, unitary, and city councils are in dispute over the size and shape of local enterprise partnerships (LEPs), with eight working days left before they must submit their plans to government.

Councils in Thames Valley, the North East, Thames Gateway and elsewhere have failed to agree over the geographical boundaries between potential LEPs, which will take over powers from regional development agencies.

In June, communities secretary Eric Pickles and business secretary Vince Cable (pictured)  told them to club together in “natural economic areas” and submit joint bids to take over regeneration, housing and planning powers. There is a deadline of 6 September for them to reach consensus and submit their bids.

In Thames Valley, councils including Buckinghamshire, West Berkshire, Swindon and Reading are undecided on which local authorities should be part of a Thames Valley LEP. Buckinghamshire council is expected to make a decision later today.

Business leaders in the north-east have voiced support for a regional LEP that covers the Newcastle city region, Northumberland, County Durham and Teesside.

However, Teeside councils have already sent a joint bid to government, and other local authorities are undecided on whether to submit individual proposals.

Essex and Kent councils are divided  over whether to create large county-wide LEPs or to allow Thurrock, Medway and Southend to form a Thames Gateway LEP.

Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Brighton, West Sussex and Lincolshire are also still undecided on how local authorities should combine in order to propose an LEP area.

It is unclear what will happen in London, and whether individual boroughs will try to submit bids to government.

• Bucks bids for role in Thames Valley LEPs
• LSH and Tesco back Hertfordshire LEP bid
• Government tells councils to set up local enterprise partnerships
• Cable gives regions hope over RDA cuts
• Stoke regeneration body to be replaced by LEP