TO quote our portfolio holder for finance at a recent meeting: “There’s good news and bad news.”

The good news was that the government had made clear what our position would be regarding government funding over the next three years.

The bad news was that we would be worse off than we had expected and planned for.

Inevitably it is expected that this will result in an increase in rates to cover the shortfall.

So, once again we have to look at further ways of saving money in-house.

One measure has been to consolidate our legal services which are being shared with Wychavon District Council and which will be based at the Council House, Malvern.

Another proposal is to put in place a joint housing team with Wychavon.

This involves support services ranging from advice on finding accommodation, energy efficiency and the issuing of grants and to helping disabled people make adaptations to their homes. They also work to prevent homelessness.

If approved this could result in savings of £80,000 a year between both councils.

MHDC does have a heart however. A fairly contentious issue over the last few months has concerned the re-housing of Syrian refugees in Worcestershire under the government’s Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme.

Clarification has now been received concerning how this will be paid in years three to five and it is anticipated that up to 50 people will be resettled in Worcestershire by the end of the year.

A programme of Meet Your Council events is due to be held over the next two months. The venues chosen will be the Link, Chase, Tenbury and Woodbury wards. This will involve local councillors and senior officers.

I believe this will be a useful alternative from surgeries by local councillors giving them an opportunity to listen to any issues and concerns together with feed back about local areas.