MALVERN Town Council is willing to pay more than the £35,000-£40,000 salary it has already offered to applicants for the job of town clerk.

At a full council meeting last Thursday, Coun Mike Angell revealed that 27 people have shown an interest in the position so far.

The council will draw up a shortlist of no more than 20 candidates and the interviewing process will start in November.

Interviews will take place on Tuesday, November 20, and the successful candidate will be announced at the following council meeting.

Coun Angell said that a higher salary was possible for a suitable candidate.

Coun Graham Myatt said the new clerk should register their interests in the same way as councillors.

The council will be hoping this round of interviews proves more fruitful than the last one.

It interviewed eight candidates in July, but the successful candidate refused the job.

Rosemary Lansdowne has indicated she will continue in her role as acting town clerk in the meantime.

She was headhunted for the role after her predecessor, Stuart McDonough, took early retirement.

Malvern Town Action Group (MTAG), which wrote to all the candidates during the last round of interviews to warn them of the circumstances surrounding the post, will not be doing so again.

"We will not be writing to the candidates because MTAG is represented on the selection committee and we will be able to put things across to them," said Coun Keith Phillips after the meeting.

"I think it will be better this time round because there's more agreement on the council."