I REFER to the letter written by Wilfred Harper (Malvern Gazette December 7). While being very grateful for such appreciation and praise, I would like to point out that lack of support from public funds does have serious implications financially.

For the 2001 festival I applied for a grant from West Midlands Arts for the commissioning of a new work from an eminent young composer. WMA suggested I ask them for £5,000 towards the commission and the engagement of the prestigious Britten Sinfonia with soloist to perform the work. My application was turned down on the basis that "little evidence was given of partnership links with other arts organisations or local authorities".

The fact of the matter is that I had a strong link with Music at Oxford who shared the cost of the commission and extra rehearsal time. Over the past 12 years, and this year, I have been supported by several other arts groups and societies. The fact that MHDC choose not to support the Autumn in Malvern Festival and several other organisations, who came along with my festival, are recognised nationally as providing professional arts events of the highest calibre in Malvern, is hardly our fault.

The Arts Council in its present form should, in the opinion of many, including myself, be scrapped. Let us rid the nation of arts gobbledygook, once and for all!

PETER SMITH, Artistic Director - Autumn in Malvern Festival, Worcester Road, Great Malvern.