MALVERN Hills Trust has responded to concerns its mooted private bill would make it less democratic. 

The much-debated bill, which looks to modernise the trust's governance to make it 'fit for the 21st century', has been the subject of much criticism.

Campaigners feel the decision to slash the number of elected trustees to just six, down from 11, would lead to 'taxation without representation', while the proposal to combine the electoral areas has also come under fire. 

But CEO Deborah Fox said the proposals would give more people a say in who is elected and would increase the trust's efficiency, adding the charity wouldn't be going to all this effort if it didn't need the change. 

Currently, 11 trustees can be elected from 10 electoral areas, with the total number of trustees allowed being 29.  

Plans would see the number of trustees cut to a maximum of 12, with six elected, and the electoral areas would be combined. 

Mrs Fox said: "The portion of elected board members will go up to half of the total number, whereas now it is around 38 per cent, so I feel people will have greater representation, not less.

"There are currently more trustees than staff and we feel reducing this would make things more efficient. 

"People say the current trust acts have served us well but we wouldn't be going through all this effort unless we needed the change."

Vice-chair of the board David Core added: "What we have seen in recent years is only about 40 per cent of levy payers have had the opportunity to vote, as in some wards or parishes trustees were uncontested. 

"We want to give levy payers the chance to vote. 

"Moving to a single electoral area means that pretty much every trustee position will have been contested, so it gives those elected a stronger mandate."

"It is important to note that elected trustees have never been representatives of levy payers, as they are elected to pursue the best interests of the trust."

Other concerns include the trust potentially gaining a general power, which some fear would allow trustees to do whatever they want. 

However, Mrs Fox said the general power would only be used to pursue the trust's charitable objectives.