CONCERNS have been raised about the lack of transparency from a group deciding how many homes will be built across south Worcestershire over the next two decades.

Some district councillors had hoped to attend today’s meeting of the South Worcestershire Development Plan Joint Advisory Panel, but were allegedly told by chairman Councillor David Hughes they could not.

The panel is looking at plans which are to replace the now defunct joint core strategy, which contained government-imposed targets to build 25,500 homes across the districts of Worcester, Malvern Hills and Wychavon by 2026. That figure will almost certainly be cut, but by how much and where the homes will go is not yet clear.

That is the reason why some councillors not on the panel – made up of nine members, three from each district – were keen to get involved at this stage.

Councillor Tom Wells, leader of the Liberal Democrats on Malvern Hills District Council, said this is “the most important issue facing south Worc-estershire over the next 10 years” so failed to see why the public, press and councillors should be banned from the meeting.

Coun Wells said: “If nothing has been decided then where is the harm of letting the public in? It is these formulaic stages that are the most important.”

Coun Hughes said that all councillors would be briefed on the final plans, but did not want them attending today’s meeting as they are still in the process of finalising the plans.