TROWBRIDGE has stuck to its guns and will hold Wiltshire’s Armed Forces event on the same weekend in 2019 as the national event in Salisbury - after rejecting a £25,000 offer to bring the event forward a week.

Wiltshire Council leader Jane Scott said the money was offered as her authority wanted the Trowbridge weekend to be a ‘lead-in’ to the Salisbury celebrations.

But the cash offer has now been withdrawn.

Town councillors criticised the county council’s decision.

“From what I understand, Jane Scott has reneged on that £25,000,” said Cllr Geoff Whiffen on Tuesday night.

“That was an unconditional offer. The county council has tried to hijack this event.”

“Nothing was put in writing. They verbally offered Wiltshire Armed Forces and Veterans Celebrations the £25,000.

“Now the council is not offering the money. I spoke to many exhibitors who did not want the date to change as they could not be sure of being able to attend if the date changed.”

Event organiser Jon Wort was delighted on Tuesday when town councillors came up with a £7,000 grant, as they do every year.

Mr Wort said: “I am pleased that the town council have agreed to support us and have not voted for the event to be moved.

“We can carry on our plans to put on next year’s Wiltshire Armed Forces Weekend.”

The £25,000 offer was made in March, as county council officers began to plan a bid to hold its National Armed Forces celebrations in Salisbury.

Mr Wort said: “I was told that if the Trowbridge Park event was moved from its date in the last weekend of June, Wiltshire Council would find £25,000 in its budget to support it.

“I was interested in the proposal because Wiltshire Council put £1,000 towards the Armed Forces weekend for 2018. After discussing the offer with the WAFVC committee, they decided not to take up the offer. Now the council is not going to give the £25,000.”

Baroness Scott explained: “Trowbridge was invited to be part of the bid and to hold its Armed Forces event of June 21-23 as this would avoid a clash with the national event in Salisbury the following week.

“We proposed that if Trowbridge’s event took place the weekend before then it would be an exciting forerunner to the official weekend and act as the perfect lead-in to the national celebrations.

“However, the WAFVC has declined the opportunity to move its event.

The displays in the park and parades will be held on June 29, 2019 – National Armed Forces Day – and Sunday, June 30.