PLANS to help the Malvern Hills district recover from the economic impact of the pandemic have been backed by councillors.

At a meeting of the Malvern Hills District Council executive committee, proposals for a new Covid Recovery Plan were unanimously accepted.

The plans will see the council focus its efforts on economically supporting businesses and residents in the district, as well as setting up a platform for the district to grow in future.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Daniel Walton, portfolio holder for economy and tourism, explained why the plans were brought to the council.

He said: "We have delivered many of the main actions of our existing Covid plan (adopted last year) and so many of the actions have either been completed or are now irrelevant.

"A new recovery plan is about our role in leading support in our community.

"It is centred around the economy and the community and the key thing is to remember that the effects of covid are going to be long term, not short, so we need to continue to show we can work together quickly and effectively."

Council documents show a number of projects and goals set by the council designed to help counter the pandemic and build the district's economy.

These include using the £500,000 Economic Recovery Fund to help businesses attract more footfall to the town as well as grants programmes for local businesses to help them modernise and grow.

Earmarked for Autumn 2021 is using a council bid for £275,000 from the Community Renewal Fund to help with skills training in the community.

Also due to come is an expansion to Malvern Theatres, if a bid for Cultural Infrastructure Levelling Up Fund money is successful.

Another long-term aim is to tackle poverty in the district by raising awareness of it in the community and holding a "Poverty Summit" to reduce poverty in the district by 2022.

The plans were unanimously voted for by councillors when they met on September 21.

To view the full plans and what they mean for the district, go to moderngov.malvernhills.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=102&MId=2989&Ver=4&J=2