A NEW political structure giving councillors more responsibility and opening up meetings is to be proposed by the Liberal Democrats next week.

Two weeks ago, the majority Conservative group at Malvern Hills District Council released a statement saying it was in favour of opening up the Executive Board meetings to the press and public.

Until now, Executive Board meetings have been the exclusive domain of six elected councillors and four officers.

But the Lib Dems want to take the reform further and allow all councillors to attend meetings and, where considered appropriate, for members to speak about issues which affect their ward.

Other changes could include adding three more councillors to the Executive Board instead of four officers, a section for public participation, and providing a "Question Time" at overview and scrutiny committees, when Executive Board members would be accountable.

The Executive Board structure was originally put in place to try and streamline the decision-making process, but Lib Dem leader Coun Tom Wells said: "If the price of democracy is an extra half hour, then it's a price worth paying."

Conservative leader Reg Farmer said thought the system was working very well as it is.

"It's effective so I don't think we'll be straying too far from the present system," he said. "I think we would be going slightly backward rather than forward if we were to back these proposals in my opinion," he added.

Proposals will be debated at the full council meeting on Tuesday.