LAST year's summer floods have prompted Malvern Hills Conservators to renew their efforts to establish exact boundaries with adjoining landowners.

The issue of who is responsible for pieces of land has arisen because of the flooding and maintenance of land where there are ditches, brooks, streams and hedges.

Director Ian Rowat said in a report to the conservators land management committee: "Boundaries are particularly important to the Malvern Hills Conservators as we have a duty to ensure that the hills and commons are not encroached upon.

"Following the registration of the conservators' land at the Land Registry detailed plans are now available and, in many cases, when adjoining land is also registered very precise boundaries have been plotted."

He added there may be some cases, particularly those involving ditches and water courses and where the adjoining land is not registered, where there are grey areas'.

"There is a legal requirement to maintain water courses, and ditches should also be maintained as a matter of good practice. Recent weather conditions have highlighted this."

Mr Rowat recommended that where the boundary between conservators' land and a neighbouring landowner is not clear, this should be established on a case-by-case basis.

The land management committee meets on Thursday to discuss the boundaries issue.