AS a Malvern resident and tax-payer, I do have some concerns about how Malvern Hills District Council spends its money.

After reading about the proposed new offices, I understand the sale of existing buildings would probably meet the cost of a new one, but it seems a shame these beautiful old buildings will not have money spent on them to keep them in a useable condition.

One argument the council use is that staff currently have to work from separate buildings, implying the new building will be large enough to house them all. How big then, is this new building going to be?

Also, it estimates the renovation work for Portland House would cost £7.5 million - why? I have often seen television documentaries about how individuals successfully renovate large properties on a budget that they often exceed but it never reaches more than £500,000. Assuming that Portland House is four times as big as one of these properties, where does the sum of £7.5 million come from?

It may be my ignorance as property renovation is not my field of work but perhaps someone who does know could give an indication of why the renovation costs would be so excessive.

Paul Adkins, Gilbert Road, Malvern.