IN his opening address at the recent public toilet seminar in London, Phil Woolas, MP, minister of state for local government, specifically highlighted the closure of public conveniences in the Malvern area, resulting from the high-handed and arrogant attitude of Malvern Hills District Council, which has exhibited utter contempt for the views and needs of the very people whom it is duty bound to serve.

It was also revealed at the seminar that across the country one in five of all public loos have been closed.

Malvern Hills District Council has closed four in eight (two in Malvern and one each in Upton and Tenbury Wells) - that is a 50% closure rate, which must rank about the highest in the land. Is this the mark of a civilised society?

When MHDC claim the closures have saved money, it is being a touch economical with the truth. In reality, the price paid for the closures was £231,000 - namely the cost of re-furbishing the four remaining units i.e. one in each town, plus Barnards Green, an average of just under £58,000 a time! Are we getting value for money commensurate with the area's needs, including the tourist industry?

MHDC is playing silly political games. Firstly, it is hiding behind the law, in that currently, the provision of public conveniences at local government level is not - as yet - on the statute books. Why legislation should be necessary to oblige the council to do right by the community is beyond belief, although it is symptomatic of falling moral standards in today's society! Secondly, MHDC is endeavouring to get out from under a problem - which is entirely of its own making - by foisting it onto other non-government funded agencies, whom it knows have a commendably stronger sense of civic duty.

Good people of Malvern, Upton and Tenbury Wells, do we just sit back and allow Rome to continue burning, or do we exercise our democratic right to correct this intolerable situation, about which many of us feel quite incensed and certainly inconvenienced?

Since MHDC is entirely responsible for setting the fire, it is also its responsibility to douse the flames and immediately re-commission the closed loos. If that means cutting back on the empire building, so it should be!

The power of the people can be a mighty force. If sufficient numbers of us are willing, not only to stand up and be counted, but also prepared to take affirmative action, the moral and democratic authority we wield cannot be ignored!

M S HODGKINSON (Council Tax rebel), Lower Wyche Road, Malvern