More than a hundred people had come from all over the West Worcestershire to listen to the Conservative Party Chairman talk about plans to "build a bonfire" with the paperwork from the Regional Spatial Strategy. Villagers from Shrawley, Little Witley, Hallow, Lower Broadheath, Newland, Norton juxta Kempsey, Alfrick and Castlemorton and elsewhere joined town residents from Malvern, Tenbury Wells and Pershore. Questions were asked on a range of topics, but were mainly focussed on how the South Worcestershire councils can avoid being forced to take more the 24,500 new homes.
In response to a question from Liberal Democrat County Councillor Clive Smith about how soon after a General Election the Conservatives could repeal the Regional Spatial Strategy, Mr. Pickles said that Conservative QCs had already drafted a bill.
Several Conservative Councillors also spoke out against the Regional Spatial Strategy.
Via Sir Michael Spicer MP and Harriett Baldwin, Mr Pickles offered the Conservative Party's help in drafting legal options for district councils to consider during the coming months.
In other remarks, Mr. Pickles emphasised how important it is for local councils to maintain a weekly collection of "smelly food waste". He also chose to highlight how the national debt per person has risen from £17,000 to over £22,000 since Christmas.
Photo: Eric Pickles, Conservative Party Chairman visits threatened fields near Malvern with (L) Harriett Baldwin, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate West Worcestershire and (R) Nancy Doyle, Conservative County Council candidate for Malvern Link.