Dysfunctional (From Malvern Gazette)

Dysfunctional

8:48am Monday 11th March 2013 in Letters

 IT is clear thatMalvern Hills District Councilhas brought itself into some disrepute as a consequence not just of recent decisions themselves, but more especially as a result ofthe way those decisionshave beenreached.

Instead of real debate and thoughtful discussion, we have witnessed clumsy, dictatorial “whipping” and wholly inappropriate officer intervention, while too many councillors mutely toe the controlling party’s line.To call this disappointing would be an understatement; itis nothing short of dysfunctional.

The South Worcestershire Development Plan was and stillis not only highly controversial in its Worcester-led plans for Malvern, but it was also favoured by the planners very early on in the process.

Not the least extraordinary aspect of the whole questionable process was the pre-emptive attitude of the developers themselves who even saw fit to write to the Gazette on their own behalf.

All this suggests the outcome of “consultation”

was predetermined from the beginning, a suspicion reinforced by the arbitrary reversal less than a month later ofthe November, 2012, council decision to think again and consider an alternative.

The alternative, imaginative plan produced by some councillors who truly care about Malvern, its natural beauty and its future would have accommodated as many homes as the infamous “Preferred Option”.

The sooner we can elect some genuine elected representatives who listen to residents the better.

DR ERIC H JONES

Guarlford