THE fight for Wyre Forest to be given rural status and qualify for rate relief because of the foot and mouth crisis goes on.

Wyre Forest District Council has agreed to keep pressing for the district to be granted rural authority status so businesses can apply for rate relief.

The authority is also sending out a leaflet informing council tax and ratepayers affected by the crisis how to apply for deferred payments - it must receive replies by April 30.

The Government scheme means the amount of hardship rate relief is increased by 20 per cent to 95 per cent for three months for rural areas.

But it has judged the district, which is a mix of urban and rural, not sufficiently rural to qualify.

This is despite eight cases of foot and mouth and the area being designated an exclusion zone.

Councillor Pauline Hayward told last Thursday's policy and implementation meeting: "It is important we push for rural areas because we have had a lot of cases here.

"Chaddesley is suffering very badly. The Government should be looking at whether or not the area has been affected."

Council chief executive Walter Delin said he had enlisted the help of Wyre Forest MP David Lock in the quest for rural status but it had been difficult to get a response from Government departments.

However, the council would continue to press its case.

Council finance chief Keith Bannister said the authority would strive to grant hardship rate relief and council tax deferments where appropriate.

He said: "We are trying our best but have been hit by a double whammy.

"We do not qualify for rural status and because of this we cannot get the April 30 deadline for deferred applications extended to June.

"It is one of the problems of not being a designated rural authority. We still have to pay the Government on time but a designated rural authority can defer payments."