CHANGES to the ward boundaries in Malvern, branded a "dog's dinner" by councillors, will be responded to.

At a meeting of Malvern Hills District Council this week, the council agreed to respond to proposals by the Boundary Commission, which could see the number of councillors reduced and some wards merged.

The Boundary Commission is proposing that there should be 31 councillors, seven fewer than at present.

They should represent residents across 15 wards, with four three-councillor wards, eight two-councillor and three single-councillor wards across the district. 

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A number of councillors attacked the plans, with Cllr Paul Bennett branding them "A dog's dinner".

He said: "These are just ludicrous and a dog's dinner. I will not be supporting them."

Cllr Bennett explained that under the plans, his ward (Pickersleigh) would be altered so it extends from Malvern Retail Park, to halfway up the Malvern Hills.

He argued the people in these wards formed distinct and different communities and that the changes made no sense.

A similar sentiment was expressed by Cllr Dean Clarke (Hallow) who said what made his work in that ward effective was the fact he is well known in the area.

He argued that a larger ward would take in a community which did not know him, and make it harder to give support to either area.

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Cllr Paul Cumming (Woodbury) said he had no problem with taking on a larger ward, saying: "I'm very much in favour of single member wards, but we have to recognise that the preferred option may not be feasible.

"In a larger ward, residents would receive the same representation as they do in the present smaller ward."

The decision was taken to respond to the proposed changes with the district's own plan.

It was voted through by 26 to four when the vote was taken on July 26.

The Boundary Commission proposals would see wards in the north of the Malvern Hills combined into single, much larger wards.

This is despite MHDC committing to pursuing single-member wards as much as possible.

To view the plans in full, go to www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/west-midlands/worcestershire/malvern-hills