AFTER last week's local elections, the Conservative leader of Malvern Hills District Council, Reg Farmer, said he was puzzled as to why his party had done so badly - we're not.

The heavy defeats in Malvern were entirely predictable and the fact Coun Farmer didn't see it coming only serves to illustrate part of the problem.

While much good work had been done to sort out the council's financial position, the perception has grown that when money was spent, not only was the Tenbury Wells area favoured by the Conservatives, but that they didn't much care about Malvern!

It's sad that among the victims of this failure of communication have been some of the Conservative's most capable councillors, people like Alex Stewart-Cleary, who has been working hard for the cause of a new Malvern Hospital, and Bryan Smith, who had done a lot behind the scenes to make sure the council's plans for the future make the provision of jobs a top priority.

Lib Dem leader Tom Wells has said he wants to continue to have all parties working on the council's ruling cabinet.

We have yet to be convinced this is the best way to operate the cabinet system.

There is a danger that with their leaders on the cabinet, the vast majority of councillors feel themselves unable to question decisions made by the council.

It might be made to work if the role of overview and scrutiny were beefed up and full council meetings restored to a central role. Now meetings of the full council can be over in minutes!

If all the council can't play a full role it can't be healthy for democracy.