LOCAL decision-making groups could be cut back at Kirklees Council.
A meeting will be urged to slash the number of area committees from 12 to seven.
Liberal Democrat council leaders denied that action at a local level would suffer.
But their move has provoked Tory anger.
Conservative councillor Martyn Bolt said: "I just don't see how it's going to work.
"Decisions would be removed from local people."
A decision is due at the council's annual meeting on May 18.
Six of the present 12 area committees cover a single council ward, while the others are spread over more wards.
Each has a limited budget to spend on projects.
The proposal is for the Holme Valley and Colne Valley to merge, Birstall and Birkenshaw to join with the two Batley wards and for Mirfield, Kirkburton and Denby Dale to form one committee.
The two Huddersfield committees, Dewsbury and the Spen Valley committees will remain unchanged.
Clr Paul Battye, the council Cabinet member responsible for administration and business, said: "While all the committees have made tremendous progress it has become evident that having 12 committees of different shapes and sizes has become unsustainable.
"Bringing the one ward committees together will in no way stop action at local level in just the same way as members of the larger area committees also meet at local and neighbourhood level on specific parochial issues.
"This will continue to happen."
