Merger would be big mismatch of services

8:14am Tuesday 13th May 2008

SIR - Does Malvern Hills District Council have any idea what it is doing?

Having just announced its intention to spend more money exploring the provision of a new council headquarters outside Malvern town centre, we hear through your Worcester News that the council leader is talking to her counterpart in Worcester City about merging the two councils' services.

Can you ever imagine a greater mismatch between service provision for the city and the deepest rural parts of Worcestershire?

If the finances are so dire at Malvern Hills, then why did the leader vote herself a mouthwatering 24 per cent pay increase this year?

When the Conservatives were elected to run MHDC just 12 months ago, there was no mention of building new council offices or merging services with Worcester city.

However, they did pledge to keep the weekly bin collection, support the arts and make community safety a priority.

Now they want to move to fortnightly waste collection, they have slashed support for Malvern Theatres by £40,000 and they have cut essential community safety posts. I may be an old fashioned politician, but I believe that if you make pledges to get people's votes, you should do your level best to keep them.

Richard Burt Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate West Worcestershire.

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