MALVERN Hills District Council will not delay making its final decision on the future management of the Malvern Theatres despite pressure to consider alternatives to a commercial takeover from members of the public.

The acting leader of the council, Coun Paul Cumm-ing, this week reiterated its intention to consider any option put before it.

But he said a decision had to made by full council on September 24 to end uncertainty over the theatres' future.

The council has been in behind-closed-doors talks over a possible commercial takeover of the theatres for almost two years.

A consultation document on two bids to take it over was due to be made public by MHDC yesterday but has been delayed until next Thursday, August 8.

The Ambassadors Theatre Group, which, along with current Malvern Theatres chief executive Nic Lloyd, has submitted a proposal, is also now expected to be represented at a series of council-held public meetings.

They will be held at The Pump Rooms, Tenbury on Monday, September 16; The Forum at Malvern Theatres on Tuesday, September 17 and The Hill Centre in Upton-upon-Severn on Wednes-day, September 18. All begin at 7pm.

Coun Cumming refused to discuss in detail options raised at last week's public meeting hosted by the Malvern Gazette ahead of the council's consultation document.

They included a public fundraising campaign to pay off the theatre's £560,000 debt, a split of responsibility for different parts of the theatres between a professional group and amateur groups and the restoration of the reduced annual MHDC revenue grant.

Coun Cumming said: "We are genuinely open on this and there are no pre-conceived views on the council. We want to look at all the facts, all the ideas expressed and then the members will vote on it."

The opposition Liberal Democrat leader on MHDC, Tom Wells, will meet with Mr Lloyd and the English Symphony Orchestra artistic director William Boughton tonight (Friday) to discuss matters relating to the theatres.

Meanwhile, Malvern Town Council has confirmed it has no plans to formally discuss the issue.

The Malvern Gazette's petition has continued to show support for Mr Lloyd's management proposals, which gained another 60 signatures this week. His bid has now been supported by 461 members of the public with just four supporting the ATG alternative.

Petitions are available to sign at the Gazette's office in Broads Bank during office hours. Copies are also at the Ledbury Repor-ter offices in High Street.