THE town council has urged Malvern Hills Trust to think of the precept payers as it moves forward with its controversial private bill. 

In its response to plans to update the Trust's governance, the authority also asked whether trustees had actively considered other options to a private bill, such as giving the land to the National Trust and removing the levy payment for residents. 

The Malvern Hills Trust has recently held a public consultation on these proposals with these changes to the way the Trust is run having to be made in Parliament through a private bill. 

Following last month's full council meeting, in which members of the Malvern Environment Protection Group raised serious concerns with the mooted bill, a group of five councillors were delegated to draft a response to the proposals. 

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Town clerk Linda Blake submitted the council’s response last Friday, July 26 and it was shared at Wednesday night's Malvern Town Council meeting. 

As well as its response to a questionnaire, the group also requested several general points were made. 

In these points, the town council urged the trust to be mindful of the significant cost implications of a parliamentary bill and the effect they may have on precept payers. 

Trust CEO Deborah Fox has previously told the Gazette just under £55,000 had been spent on legal fees towards the bill as of June 30, with the Charity Commission capping the amount that can be spent at £306,000.

The council also felt it was important the trust clarified and publicised the process for further public engagement and comments on the proposed bill between the presentation of the bill and its first reading in early 2025.

The authority added people in Malvern should be informed of the consultation and engagement available to them at every stage of this process. 

A response to the council's consultation submission, sent by the trust's governance change officer Sue Satchell, was read out by the town clerk at Wednesday's meeting. 

It said: “I’ve been through the town council’s responses and I think everything is very clear, particularly on letting everyone have the chance to look at the draft bill or further draft clauses in due course. 

“I absolutely understand the reasons behind this concern, I'm going to put the matter to the board to get a formal view but I envisage we will release further clauses or sections of drafting as things progress. 

“We have already made some changes to the drafts published in the consultation document and will be making more in response to other points made in the consultation responses."