MALVERN town councillors face a difficult decision when they meet to discuss their reaction to this week's referendum result.

It is hard to see how they can go on in the face of such an overwhelming setback.

The council's reaction to the recent public meetings was to dismiss the 600 people who attended as a vocal minority. Faced with five times that number, its reaction has been the same.

These days, sadly, a normal local election turnout could not be expected to much exceed 20 per cent, so the 15 per cent turnout for the referendum can not so easily be dismissed.

Having such a strong expression of public opinion hanging over them, must make it difficult for councillors to take decisions with any confidence.

But if councillors do decide to continue, as they have given every indication they will, then they have little choice but to press on with their spending plans.

To judge by the referendum result, their only hope at the next election in two years' time is to be able to say, 'yes it was expensive, but look how well your money has been spent'.

On this outcome the council will ultimately be judged.

But if councillors do decide to ignore the poll result, the council is likely to be under a perpetual state of siege from its critics for the next two years, a situation which can bring little credit on the town.