A FORMER conservator is concerned about the way in a trust is moving forward.

Dave Masters, 77, from Malvern served as a member of the Malvern Hills Trust for 14 years, leaving in 2007.

The charity, which manages the commons and is governed by the Malvern Hills Acts, is proposing a number of changes to that constitution, which are being put out for public consultation and one of the changes could be to reduce the number of board members from 29 to possibly as few as 7.

The intended changes follow best practice guidelines from the Charity Commission.

Mr Masters said: “If they want to reduce numbers why don't they do it from the nominal memberships.

"This wouldn't cost them anything.

“My concern is that the way they are planning to reduce the number of trustees could end up forming little cliques and the proposed changes will be less democratic."

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Duncan Bridges, CEO of the Trust, said: “The proposals in our consultation document on how the board would be made up retains the ability of all those who currently vote in the election of board members to continue to do so.

“Additionally, under the proposals, the proportion of elected members would increase from the current 38 per cent to 50 per cent of the board.”

The changes are intended to make the decision-making process easier.

The proposals are available for consultation at malvernhills.org.uk. Paper copies can be requested. The consultation process ends on Sunday October 13.