“MALVERN has renewed its vows” – not my words, but those of Worcester City Council’s leader this week after the South Worcestershire Development Plan earned a magical revival.

Worcester’s Conservatives have an extra swagger at the moment, and rightly so after the SWDP was passed by Malvern Hills District Council.

Not one to turn down the chance for a soundbite, Councillor Simon Geraghty told The Source Malvern’s rabble had “pulled back from the brink”, which is good news for us all.

His inferences to the marriage vows being renewed did cause a chuckle at WN towers, not least because Coun Geraghty suffered the distinction of featuring on the front page of one of our sister newspapers mocked-up as a smiling groom the last time he cosied up to Malvern’s leaders.

Back in May 2008 he was featured in a Malvern Gazette story headlined ‘Marriage made in heaven or recipe for divorce?’ when the title broke a story about the authorities starting talks on merging staff, with former Malvern Hills District Council leader Serena Croad pictured alongside him as ‘the bride’.

The project typically collapsed and four-and-a-half years later we’re now talking about another marriage between the authorities which, whisper it gently to yourself, may just have a happier ending.

Coun David Hughes, Malvern’s current leader, managed to pull off a remarkable turnaround in getting his authority to agree to the SWDP, which has already earned him the nickname Houdini at the Guildhall.

In fact, just as Coun Geraghty was revelling in the SWDP turnaround to your Worcester News, he did pause the telephone conversation for a moment to order a foot-long Subway sandwich on “honey oat bread”.

Coun Hughes may not be calling his counterpart honey just yet, but make no mistake about it, this fling is set to last.

But the final word on these memorable few weeks belongs to Coun Marc Bayliss, Worcester’s deputy leader.

“David Hughes’ stock has just risen,” he said. “They should send him to sort out the Israel/Palestine conflict!”

􀁥 TALKING about Houdini, the region’s new police and crime commissioner Bill Longmore also fits that description, as he has a knack of escapism – avoiding talking to the Press.