Local area forums - a missed opportunity?

The new local area forums should have been an opportunity to take a fresh look at how the public services meet the needs of local communities. Unfortunately, instead of being organised around natural communities they are being setup under the auspices of the big local authorities. Our area - Pocklington - is only 12 miles from York, and York is the economic, social, and cultural hub of the area. (In fact, I think it is known as a "city region"). Unfortunately the local area forum for our area reports in to East Riding of Yorkshire Council in Beverley, 25 miles in the opposite direction.