CHANGES in the way the town and district are run are being promised following last week's Local Elections.

Leader Tom Wells saw his Liberal/Green group take control of Malvern Hills District Council, while Malvern Town Action Group leader Keith Phillips witnessed a decisive victory for his party, taking 17 of 20 seats on Malvern Town Council.

Coun Wells said he would be offering two places on the council's controlling cabinet to the Conservative opposition.

"It's vital we all work together and try to put our party political differences aside for the good of Malvern, and I'm going to ensure that happens," he said.

A slimmer town council and a year on year reduction in Council Tax is being promised by Coun Phillips.

Plans to give town clerk Shirley Young more decision-making powers and cut the number of committee meetings have been frustrated by the announcement this week of her resignation after 15 months in the job.

She declined to comment on the reasons for her decision, but is understood to have received an offer of another local government post.

Coun Phillips expressed regret she was leaving. "We're very disappointed," he said, "because we felt we've developed a very good working relationship."

Operations manager Richard Chapman will take over in the interim.

Coun Phillips said MTAG's overwhelming majority should mean less acrimony at council meetings and a greater spirit of co-operation between members.

He also pledged the council would work closely with Malvern Hills District Council rather than compete with it.

The new-look district council will elect a leader and chairman and sort out committee membership when it meets for the first time in Priory Lodge Hall at 7.30pm on Tuesday (May 13).

The town council's next meeting will take place the following day at its Belle Vue Terrace offices at 6pm.

Local Election results, page 32.