MALVERN electors will go to the polls on May 1 to decide whether to call on the entire town council to resign.

Seven members have resigned following a vote of no confidence in the council and its clerk at a public meeting in February.

This week, more than 350 electors voted overwhelmingly for a poll.

It will pose the question: "Do you think the entire council should resign and that the councillors should stand for re-election to give the taxpayers the opportunity to express their views on the performance and increased expenditure by the town council?"

Wednesday's parish meeting, in the Forum at Malvern Theatres, had been called by Malvern Town Action Group (MTAG) but was chaired by town mayor David Williams, with Sunderland solicitor James Sheerin at his side.

Coun Williams initially said he would not attend the event, when the council claimed it was not legally valid. The authority subsequently had a change of heart and decided to recognise it.

The cost of bringing in Mr Sheerin, who is the legal adviser for the Association of Larger Local Councils, was queried from the floor.

Coun Williams said afterwards that Mr Sheerin had not finished his work for the council yet and he had no idea how much it would cost.

The meeting acceded to Mr Sheerin's advice that the motion should not call for the resignation of town clerk Stuart McDonough, as he is not an elected member but an employee of the council.

Action group spokesman Keith Phillips agreed that it would be up to any new council to decide whether or not to retain the town clerk.

The present council passed a vote of confidence in Mr McDonough at a meeting last week.

Mr Phillips deplored the attitude of the council in quibbling over the date and location of the parish meeting and the added irritation of insisting everyone's name was checked against the electoral roll, which delayed the start.

John Redfern, former chairman of the Malvern committee of Malvern Hills District Council, said he had initiated the campaign to establish a town council.

"It's not the concept that I'm criticising. We don't wish to abolish the town council. It's the management of this institution that we are criticising.

"Cost control is a vital concept for management but the town council is far from cost effective," he said, to applause.