MALVERN Town Council wants to work alongside the district council to find a way of keeping the tourist information centre in the town council.

The message was agreed at an extraordinary meeting of the town council held behind closed doors of Wednesday evening.

But details of what the council proposes are currently being kept under wraps.

Town clerk Linda Blake told the Gazette yesterday morning: "Unfortunately the full details of last night’s town council meeting cannot yet be released to the public due to their content and this will be done in due course.

"However the meeting contained a very positive discussion and Malvern Town Council have agreed that it wishes to work alongside and in partnership with Malvern Hills District Council to find a way of retaining the tourist information function within the town centre."

Wednesday's meeting was held with the press and public excluded, something the council is allowed to do if "publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted". In most cases, this involves discussion of financial detail of contracts.

The tourism office saga began at the start of the year, when the district council proposed to move it from its prominent Church Street position to a new building at the council headquarters off Avenue Road.

But a petition calling for the TIC to remain at its current site gathered more that 2,500 signatures.