MALVERN Food Bank is still charged rent by Malvern Hills District Council for the premises that they use. Over three years this amounts to £12,000.

While they should not have to, Malvern Town Council (public money) now covers £6,000 of the £12,000 rent.

The district council have waived the other £6,000, but should they be charging rent at all, on a public asset supporting acutely vulnerable members of the public?

Effectively the food bank are still charged £6,000, the fact that Malvern Town Council pay this does not mitigate the fact that charging rent for such a facility is morally unjustifiable.

More than 80 per cent of the public voted to have the district council profiteering rent removed altogether.

I call upon Malvern Hills District Council to waive the entire £12,000, back the churches that created the Malvern Food Bank, and take the opportunity to reflect over Christmas how they can show maximum support vulnerable individuals and families, they alone have to endure hardship all year round!

Martin Lawrence

Malvern town councillor