HOPEFULLY the sun will shine this weekend on one of Malvern's big events of the year, the Three Counties Countryside Show.

Without the livestock classes some of the local flavour will be lost, but the event remains an important one on the social calender for all in the agricultural community.

Behind the scenes there has been some turmoil in the management of the Three Counties Agricultural Society, which led to the departure of its chief executive Chris Milne in January.

It seemed to us that Mr Milne had done a lot to build a stronger relationship between the showground and the town itself, and we hope this good work will be continued.

We regard the showground as one of four key elements, the management of which is crucial to Malvern's future economic prosperity. Only one of these four, the hills, is guaranteed to still be here in 20 years' time.

The others are QinetiQ and Malvern Theatres, the future of which we believe depends on its management remaining in local hands.

Both the theatre and the Three Counties Agricultural Society are charities and are ultimately run by a board and council but we wonder whether this is not a rather inflexible way to manage such important assests in the modern world?