Worcestershire's Malvern Hills Trust should be abolished, says councillor
Trust 'outdated'
The council has concerns over a number of extended powers proposed in the bill, including the installation of cattlegrids and closure of footpaths.Conservative Councillor Adrian Hardman told the full council: "The [trust] board in its current form does need some reform and I'm keen the council doesn't stand in its way."But he added: "If you're putting in cattlegrids then you'll need fences – and that goes against the aims of the original bill."Udall said: "The bill is not supported by local residents."We should be petitioning the government for the abolition of the Malvern Hills Trust and its replacement with a new national park, which would be directly elected, accountable and therefore much more transparent.'
Ms Fox said: "The Malvern Hills Trust is here to care for the hills and commons. The trust is trying to update and modernise its governance."The trust was established by an Act of Parliament and any major changes in our governance require a new act."She said she welcomed anyone with questions to attend one of the drop-in events in July and August.Ms Fox added: "We want to give people an opportunity to have their questions answered and learn more about how the bill will allow us to operate more effectively."
This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations.
Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Trump threatens tariffs on medicines within weeks
Donald Trump has threatened new tariffs on medicines within weeks as he steps up demands for drugmakers to move factories to the US. The president said he would impose tariffs on pharmaceutical imports 'probably at the end of the month', adding: 'We're going to start off with a low tariff and give the pharmaceutical companies a year or so to build, and then we're going to make it a very high tariff.' It follows warnings earlier this month that tariffs could be as high as 200pc for medicines imported into the US. On Tuesday evening, the president suggested the new pharma tariffs could come alongside the 'reciprocal' rates which are expected to be implemented on Aug 1. Shares in European drugmakers including AstraZeneca, GSK, Novartis and Novo Nordisk dropped following Mr Trump's latest comments. Already, drug makers have been racing to bolster their presence in the US, with companies including GSK and Roche ramping up investment in US factories. Last month, reports suggested that AstraZeneca chief Sir Pascal Soriot had privately spoken of his desire to quit Britain for the US, shifting the company's listing away from London. It comes amid growing concern that the UK could be hit by new drug levies, despite agreeing a trade deal with Mr Trump. The UK is not as exposed as Ireland, which exports €58bn (£50bn) in pharma and chemicals to the US every year and has warned tariffs could slash this in half. However, the pharma sector still accounts for a large portion of the UK's exports to the US, with companies sending £8.8bn of pharmaceutical products to the US. Under the US-UK deal, ministers had pledged to make the UK more welcoming to US pharmaceutical companies, saying they would 'endeavour to improve the overall environment for pharmaceutical companies operating in the UK'. However, drugmakers warned that the UK was failing to deliver on that promise. They said the Government's long-awaited life sciences strategy – which was published on Wednesday – fell short on making Britain a better place to operate. The Government announced ambitions to reduce delays for clinical trials and said such plans would help make the UK the third-most important life sciences economy behind only the US and China by 2035. However, drug chiefs criticised the plans amid an ongoing row over NHS drugs charges. The Government has so far failed to reach an agreement with industry over how much the NHS is able to claw back in rebates on drugs. Johan Kahlström, managing director for healthcare company Novartis UK & Ireland, said he was 'deeply concerned and disappointed that, despite extensive engagement, the Government's new life sciences sector plan fails to address core industry concerns around the UK's investment environment'. Richard Torbett, from The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, said: 'The UK must address the core issue holding back the life sciences sector, the long-term disinvestment in innovative medicines that is increasingly preventing NHS patients from accessing medications that are available in other countries. 'Without change, the UK will continue the slow slide down international league tables for research, investment, and the availability of new medicines.'
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Decision on Stockton market's future set to be put on hold
A decision on the fate of a market hall could be delayed after pressure from concerned business owners and at Stockton Shambles said having to move could mean "the end of the road" after they were notified that Stockton Council's cabinet was due to vote on proposals to market the hall as a "food and beverage opportunity".Matt Vickers, Conservative MP for Stockton West, raised the issue in the Commons on Tuesday claiming it was an "absolute disgrace".Councillor Richard Eglington, cabinet member for regeneration, said he would recommend the decision on Thursday be delayed until "thorough engagement" had taken place. Vickers said the council's proposal was "a shameful betrayal" of hard-working businesses who had kept the high street alive, according to the Local Democracy Reporting service."To be told out of the blue that they are being thrown out of their premises, with barely a day's notice of the meeting, is an absolute disgrace," he said. 'Unclear future' Chris McDonald, Labour MP for Stockton North, has also written to council leader Lisa Evans, requesting a "pause and review". He said the issue had "rightly" become emotive, with a "significant" toll on business owners."These are businesses who've served our town loyally through tough years," he said."Many of them feel anxious about what comes next and, in several cases, unclear on whether they have any real future in the town centre at all."The proposal was set to be considered with a raft of other plans for the town and the council said it remained committed to the regeneration of the authority added that it would provide "tailored support" to the six affected traders to explore relocation options and help develop their business said: "We appreciate the uncertainty that the businesses will be feeling at the moment but we want to reassure them that there is plenty of time for us to work constructively together and help them develop plans for the future." Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Starmer about to face Badenoch at last PMQs before summer recess
Update: Date: 11:52 BST Title: MPs pack the Commons to catch a glimpse of PMQs Content: Joshua NevettReporting from the House of Commons The green benches in the House of Commons are filling up, as MPs take their seats ahead of Prime Minister's Questions. I'll be watching from the gallery above. It's Tory leader Kemi Badenoch's last chance to make some political waves at PMQs before the summer recess. So, what could come up this week? The Afghan data breach (see more detail here) is the talk of Westminster today. It's likely MPs will raise for other topics, the rise in inflation, new data on the immigration status of universal credit claimants, and the two-child cap on benefits could also be in the mix. As ever, though, it's a guessing game at this point. Update: Date: 11:47 BST Title: What's happening with inflation? Content: As we've been reporting, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published its monthly update this morning - and it showed that inflation rose to 3.6% in the year to June. Inflation is the increase in the price of something over time - if a bottle of milk costs £1 but is £1.05 a year later, then annual milk inflation is 5%. How are these figures calculated? The ONS takes a representative sample of more then 700 goods and services - including things like flour, pork chops, streaming services and cereal - to calculate the figure. Changes in the prices of these products are regularly checked at around 20,000 shops across the country. Why does this matter for Starmer? Labour was elected on a pledge to reduce the cost of living for ordinary people, and this news comes a few days after separate figures revealed the economy shrank unexpectedly in May. Last week, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused Keir Starmer of letting inflation rise on his watch. Update: Date: 11:40 BST Title: Red binder in hand, Starmer makes his way to Parliament Content: Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been seen leaving 10 Downing Street, and we all know where he's headed: the House of Commons. Update: Date: 11:33 BST Title: The Afghan data breach: What you need to know Content: Here's a bit more on the data breach we mentioned in our last post, after it was discovered that thousands of Afghans have quietly been relocated to the UK since the Taliban seized power of their country. The leak: The scheme was prompted by a security leak in 2022, where a British official inadvertently leaked the data of almost 19,000 people who had applied to move to the UK after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan. The injunction: The reason we're only hearing about this now is because the government first heard about the leak in 2023, when some details were posted on Facebook, and subsequently obtained a super-injunction stopping it from becoming public. On Tuesday, the order was lifted. The scheme: So far, 4,500 Afghans have arrived in the UK, with more expected. It's being closed down, has cost £400m, and is expected to cost a further £400-450m. The Ministry of Defence believes 600 Afghan soldiers included in the leak, plus 1,800 of their family members, are still in Afghanistan. The response: Defence Secretary John Healey has offered a "sincere apology" to those whose details had been included in the leak. Former defence secretary Ben Wallace has said he makes "no apology" for stopping the reporting of the leak. This file photo from August 2021 shows UK and Turkish coalition forces, and the US Marines, assisting a child during the withdrawal of Nato troops from Afghanistan Update: Date: 11:26 BST Title: Macron, Trump, immigration and inflation - a visual guide to the past seven days in politics Content: The King hosted French President Emmanuel Macron on a state visit last week. Macron then joined PM Keir Starmer for a UK-France summit on the relationship between the two countries - they spoke about Ukraine, migrants and trade At the summit, Macron and Starmer revealed a new deal to stop small boats. The UK will return migrants to France in a "one in, one out" deal which will see the UK accept an equal number of asylum seekers after security checks Just this morning, new figures revealed that inflation unexpectedly jumped to 3.6% in June (up from 3.4% in May), marking the steepest rise in inflation since January 2024 In other news for Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the MPs' watchdog has concluded she inadvertently breached parliamentary rules by missing the deadline for declaring a gift of two National Theatre tickets - Reeves had referred herself to the commissioner Meanwhile, it's been revealed that around 4,500 Afghans have been resettled in the UK as part of a secret scheme set up after a British official inadvertently leaked their data. Until this week, the existence of the leak and relocations were kept secret after the government obtained a super-injunction stopping it from becoming public. Former defence secretary Ben Wallace says he makes "no apology" for stopping the reporting And it's been announced that US President Donald Trump will meet First Minister John Swinney and Prime Minister Keir Starmer when he visits Scotland - on a "private" trip later this month Update: Date: 11:20 BST Title: The last PMQs of the season - welcome along Content: Imogen JamesLive reporter We're gearing up for the last Prime Minister's Questions for more than a month, as MPs prepare to enjoy Parliament's summer recess - starting next week (they'll return on 1 September). As ever, we don't know exactly what line of questioning Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch will pursue when she's up against the PM, but there are many topics to choose from after a busy week: When the time comes, you'll be able to watch Badenoch's questions and the PM's responses live at the top of the page. We'll also bring you live updates, analysis and reaction on all the key moments, so stick with us.
