A PARTNERSHIP set up to manage highways issues in Wyre Forest has been slammed as "less use than a childcare partnership with King Herod" by the leader of the district council.

Councillor Mike Oborski launched the scathing attack in his newsletter while his wife and fellow councillor Fran Oborski, who is a member of the forum set up to advise officers, condemned the partnership as "totally undemocratic".

Wyre Forest Highways Partnership manager Stuart Reynolds would not be drawn on the comments but said he would seek a copy of the Liberal newsletter before deciding whether to take the matter further.

The Oborskis' outburst followed a disagreement over the partnership's refusal to resurface Grosvenor Avenue in Kidderminster, which is in their Offmore ward and described by Mr Oborski as "one of the very worst road surfaces in the county".

Mrs Oborski told the Shuttle/Times & News: "They don't go out and look at these roads. They do work on through-roads but cul-de-sacs will fall apart before anything gets done."

However, Mr Reynolds said Grosvenor Avenue was no better or worse than many other district roads and would be considered for improvements in the same way.

Mrs Oborski slammed the partnership, based in Kidderminster's Worcester Street, for an "appalling standard of service", and bemoaned the inability of the forum to exert any influence over its decisions.

"All we can really do is sit there and bitch," Mrs Oborski added.

The partnership was formed in 1998, bringing together district and county council staff, as the first step in creating a one-stop-shop for all Wyre Forest highways matters.

It is currently the subject of a Worcestershire County Council review.

However, Wyre Forest District Council planning and environment chief Jake Berriman - who meets monthly with Mr Reynolds - said forum members had misinterpreted their role.

He said in a council report members of the forum, which was supposed to be an informal discussion group, have "continued to act as if they had decision-making powers whereas in reality their role is to advise".

The district is represented on the forum by Mrs Oborski and councillors Peter Carter, Frank Baillie, Stephen Clee, James Parish and Stephen Williams.