A SITTING councillor has withdrawn from the Malvern Town Council elections, guaranteeing Malvern Town Action Group another seat.

David Houghton-Smith, who is standing in the Malvern Hills District Council elections in the Link ward, dropped out of the race to represent the town council's Pickersleigh ward before last Friday's deadline (April 4). He could not be contacted at time of going to press.

In other moves, councillors Paul Tuthill, Alistair Macmillan and Ann Silk revealed they will be standing in Link, Dyson Perrins and Pickersleigh wards respectively. All three had put themselves forward in two wards each, but were forced to drop out of one of them before the deadline.

The moves mean MTAG is now guaranteed ten of the council's 20 seats.

However, Adrian Ward, who is running for the group in North Malvern, said he was sad that Mr Houghton-Smith was not running.

"We're rather disappointed that he has bowed out," he said. "He spoke a lot of common sense."