AN outraged Lickey End resident has blasted a decision by councillors to scrap plans for a parish council which won the support of more than half of voters.

Frank Howard, of Alcester Road, says he can't believe Bromsgrove District Council has refused to create the authority, which would have represented Lickey End and Burcot.

Residents decided to set the wheels in motion to form a parish council when they met last year to discuss problems in the area including traffic, littering and youth facilities.

The district council arranged a ballot. There was a 38 per cent turnout of Lickey End residents and more than 60 per cent were in favour of creating a council.

Only 11 of the 47 Burcot people who voted supported the scheme.

This month, members of the district council's policy and resources committee recommended the plans should not go ahead because of lack of support.

This was agreed at a full council meeting last Tuesday.

The report has been sent to the Government for a final decision.

Mr Howard, who led the group of campaigners, said: "I am outraged because we got a bigger turnout than elections get.

"We also got more support than a councillor needs to get elected.

"We wanted to be able to oversee the day to day running of our area but now the residents of Lickey End have no proper status to do this."

District council leader Cllr Nick Psirides (Con, Norton) said he supported parish councils when there was a clear indication that residents were in favour.

He believed the ballot did not show that the majority of people supported the proposal.