A £5,000 publicity campaign is being launched by Malvern Town Council to get people fully involved in the consultation over the new community hospital.

The council has passed a resolution saying it fully supports the project and that its preference is for the hospital to be built at the Seaford Court site off Worcester Road.

It is urging people to attend public meetings about the choice of site and complete questionnaires being issued by South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust.

The council has decided to open up the former Manders shop, on the ground floor of its Belle Vue Terrace offices, where people can pick up or fill in questionnaires. It will be open from Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4.30pm.

Council chairman Ralph Madden said: "We're in the situation where we can't wait on the sidelines, we have to get on the pitch.

"What I want to see is what people want, what's the cost of providing what people want. We've got to get that out into the open."

Coun Pat Merrick urged people to go to the public meetings, the first of which took place yesterday (Thursday) in Upton. Others are scheduled for Wednesday, January 19, at Malvern Link Primary School at 6pm, and Monday, January 24, at the Elgar Suite, the Abbey Hotel, Great Malvern, at 6pm.

"Make your views heard. It's our last chance," said Coun Merrick.

The trust is also holding exhibitions to encourage feedback on the hospital plans.

These will take place at the Malvern Library Customer Service Centre on Friday, January 28, and Wednesday, February 16, at Waitrose, Great Malvern, on Friday, February 11, and at Morrisons supermarket, Malvern Link, on Wednesday, February 16.

Mike Ridley, the trust's chief executive, has promised that Malvern's new hospital will be as good as the one at Kidderminster.

Speaking at a special meeting of the town council last Thursday, he said: "You will have no less a quality of new hospital than in Kidderminster."

The council wants the trust to start preparing its detailed proposals and open discussions on financing as soon as possible and to make sure the hospital provides the full range of services.

It is also asking the trust not to sell any land or property at Seaford Court, in case a sale damages the provision of health service at the site.

It is writing to all parish and town councils in the area, county and district councillors and MP Sir Michael Spicer urging them to take the same line.

n Opinion, see page 6.