Council leader backs bid to buy Malvern Hills College

Malvern Hills District Council (MHDC) leader has backed a bid to buy Malvern Hills College and would be prepared to consider offering up to £200k towards its purchase.

The Leader of MHDC, Cllr Sarah Rouse, showed her support at a full Council meeting on Tuesday 25 January as part of the Leader's Questions and has now invited the Bransford Trust to approach the council as a matter of urgency.

This follows the delay in negotiations between the Warwickshire College Group and the Bransford Trust.

Cllr Sarah Rouse, Leader of Malvern Hills District Council, said: "We are prepared to step in to help bring about any reconciliation and to help move the process along. As a council, we recognise that Malvern Hills College is so important to the community and I'm sure we would be prepared to consider making funding available to support the purchaser in securing this facility for use in the community in the future".

Last November, councillors overwhelmingly supported a notice of motion to respect the covenant in place on the college which requires the site to only be used for educational purposes until there is no longer a functional need for the college.