Urgent repairs to the roof of Malvern's fire station have been put on hold while the county's fire service awaits Government confirmation of its borrowing allowance.

Hereford and Worcester Combined Fire Authority has earmarked £100,000 for remedial work on the roof of the Worcester Road building as part of its capital programme for next year.

But it will not release the funds until it receives full clearance on its borrowing thresholds.

"The roof at Malvern is in a pretty poor state," said Philip Ingle, the authority's director of financial services. "There has been some leakage.

The fire service has branded the estimated £16 million award for the next financial year from the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions as "inadequate".

Mr Ingle said: "Expenditure on the fire service is running at 25-26 per cent above what central Government thinks it should cost."

The shortfall of some £4 million is to be met from the budgets of Worcestershire and Herefordshire County Councils.

The issue of funding for Malvern fire station's roof is expected to be resolved at the next meeting of the Combined Fire Authority in March.