IN the next few months it appears Malvern Hills District Council will be asked to make one of the most important decisions to face the town this year, who will be responsible for the future management of Malvern Theatres.

Negotiations about the future of the theatre seem to have been going on now for over 12 months, culminating this week in an initial proposal being submitted in writing to the council by the Ambassadors Theatre Group.

An alternative proposal has also been put together by Malvern Theatres chief executive Nic Lloyd for keeping the theatre in the hands of its current management.

Our concern is that the public should be made fully aware of the details of both these proposals and be given an opportunity to express their opinion before any decision is taken by the council.

More than most, we believe, Malvern's theatre belongs to the public which kept it going through hard times.

The council has always promised that public consultation would take place, but it has never been prepared to say what form this consultation would take.

The fact is that negotiations with ATG have been taking place for months now.

So far the council has not sought to justify the need for such negotiations, it has not involved the existing management and staff and Malvern Theatre Association have been kept in the dark.

In the circumstances, it is difficult to have faith in the council's promise of public consultation, so the Malvern Gazette has decided to take the initiative and launch what we hope will be the open debate needed on this issue.

We are holding a public meeting at The Forum on Wednesday, July 24, at 7.30pm, at which the council, ATG, the current management, the Theatre Association and others will be invited to present their vision of the future for Malvern Theatres.

Whatever the final decision, it is vital to the future of the theatre that it should have public support.