REPAIR work to improve the poor state of Kidderminster's war memorial will become a step closer in a meeting called to devise a clean-up action plan.

Its worsening condition has led Wyre Forest District Council leader Mike Oborski to arrange a meeting of representatives of the Royal British Legion, RAF, Royal Navy and WFRs to take place "within days".

Many names are barely if at all visible on the memorial outside St Mary's Church, which means improvements costing up to £20,000 could be in the pipeline.

The announcement follows criticism in the Shuttle/Times & News by Comberton Park Road resident Grace Oliver, who accused the council of failing to act on a pledge made last September to clean and have names re-engraved on the memorial.

Mr Oborski "held his hands up and apologised" for the delay, and Mrs Oliver was "quite right" to take the council to task.

He said: "We had a stonemason out recently to look at the memorial but the results have put us in a real dilemma.

"We have discovered it will cost £800 to have it properly cleaned which isn't a problem. The problem we do have is many letters are in a better condition than others and we were advised by the professional to wait for others to deteriorate and have repairs made to all of them in about eight to 10 years, which isn't what we would like ideally.

"If we were to re-engrave all the letters, we would be talking about a £20,000 bill as each one costs £1.75 to complete.

"However, clearly this is an important issue and one where the best job possible needs to be done, so the meeting must produce a clear action plan and timetable for us all to follow."

Another financial dilemma up for discussion will be the up to £6,000 re-pointing of the cenotaph, which is in danger of being damaged by frost getting into the plinth.

Mr Oborski added another idea he would float at the meeting would be the possibility of introducing an additional on-line war memorial - which has proved successful elsewhere.

This would allow families of war victims to post messages and pictures of loved ones on the internet.