THE inquiry into the dispute between St Ann’s Well cafe tenant John Redman and the Malvern Hills Conservators will continue this week.

The special committee will meet in the Elgar Room at the Council House, in Avenue Road, at 6pm on Thursday (January 12).

The dispute began in September 2009 when Mr Redman was informed that his lease on the cafe would not be renewed when it expired in March 2010.

A new lease was finally agreed between the two parties in May 2011 following a series of protests, petitions, mediation sessions and negotiations.

At its first meeting on Friday, December 2 Brian Pilcher stepped down as chairman of the committee and Carl Attwood was appointed unanimously.

The other members are Luna Deller and Jill Campbell, with Tim Musgrove and Mr Pilcher taking ex-officio roles and Kevin Douglas acting as an independent advisor.

The committee is due to look at legal advice, the budget, the shape of the process and the next steps to take in that process.

It will be followed by a meeting of the board at 7pm, where a director’s successor working party will be formed with Ian Rowat stepping down from the role in April.

Among other business the board will move to appoint a representative on the Malvern Hills Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty Joint Advisory Committee and a report from the Malvern Spa Association will be heard.

Members of the public are allowed to attend both meetings.