OPPOSITION from several members failed to prevent Malvern Town Council from handing out grants to voluntary organisations.

At a full council meeting last Thursday Coun Keith Phillips (MTAG, Priory) voiced fears the council could not afford to part with the £2,250 recommended by the grants working party.

"I believe we should not be spending any money on grants because we don't have any money," he said.

"Malvern Hills District Council cancelled all grants and I believe we should do the same."

However, Coun Frances Victory (Independent, Chase) and Coun Robert Dowler (Green, Priory), head of the grants working party, both opposed the motion.

Coun Phillips and five others voted against allowing the grants to go through, but the remaining 19 councillors voted the other way.

Organisers of Malvern May Day, the total cost of which will be around £8,000, were awarded £500 towards general costs.

The same amount was given to Malvern Women's Project, which provides shelter for victims of domestic violence, to help it organise a Christmas party with presents and a disco for children in their care.

Home Start, a charity providing volunteers to help families under severe stress, which is trying to establish itself in Malvern, was also given £500.

Poolbrook's Jubilee celebratory party is now a step closer, as the council awarded organisers £250 to help hire a sound system for the event.

Malvern Table Tennis Club is half way to getting a state-of-the-art ping-pong robot able to fire balls across the table with varying degrees of spin and velocity to help hone its players' skills, thanks the council's £500 award.