A PLEDGE to secure mains gas for residents of Hanley Swan and Welland in 2003 has been given by a local councillor.

Despite a setback that could prove a major obstacle to the process, Worcestershire county councillor Tom Wells has been pressing for utility companies to have pipelines installed to take gas to the villages.

Earlier this year, he organised public meetings in both locations and contacted Moorland Utilities, which subsidises the laying of pipes and take a percentage of users' bills in return.

If the company goes ahead with the proposal, householders in both villages would be able to hook up to gas supplies for between £500 and £750 each. Without subsidy, the cost would be nearer £3,000.

Initially, the company said it needed at least 25 per cent of villagers to express their interest in joining the mains network before any work could begin.

However, at a recent meeting, Coun Wells was told the firm now wants a commitment that 75 per cent of villagers would pay for connections within 10 years.

Coun Wells said the lack of progress was frustrating, especially as the need to get both villages on the gas network has been exacerbated by recent power cuts.

"There's a desperate need for mains supply in these villages," he said. "This autumn and winter have shown that. If the electricity cuts had taken place in cold weather we would be hospitalising people."

Coun Wells said he had no idea whether three-quarters of residents in the villages were committed to becoming connected to mains gas but promised to continue talking to the company to see if a deal could be struck.

"It's not a public service any more," he said. "It's now simply a question of supply and demand, and putting something together that is acceptable from the operator's point of view."