New plans for Wiltshire Council to stop funding parish elections have attracted more anger.

The chair of Pewsey’s Community Area Partnership, a voluntary group set up to discuss local issues, has demanded more ‘consideration and respect’ be given to parish councils.

The plans were approved by cabinet members on January 31, but their decision will need to be ratified by full council on February 21.

Chair Dawn Wilson said: “Wiltshire Council has once again raised the spectre of charging Parish and Town Councils for elections.

"The claim is this will save £400,000 over the four-year cycle.  

"This was buried in the depths of the current budget to be approved on February 21.

"Contrary to Cllr Parvis’s assertions to us at the budget meeting on January 31, most parish and town councils were not made aware of this “sleight of hand” decision until January 2023.  

She added: “Wiltshire Council is tasked to run these elections and receive the funds to do so. 

"We are being asked to pay again for a “service” we have no control over.

"The poorer parishes will quickly work out that co-opting after the elections is a cheaper option! How is that democratic?

"My biggest concern is the way in which this has been presented with no consultation and no discussion.

"Such sweeping changes with cost implications need to be presented openly and clearly.

"Wiltshire council may have a balanced budget but these decisions impact of the budgets of others going forward.

"So a little consideration and respect, please! Perhaps downsizing the half-empty County Hall in Trowbridge might make those savings?” 

Wiltshire Council leader Richard Clewer said in response: “At the town and parish meeting in November 2022 we raised the prospect of recovering election costs.

"This meeting is open to all of Wiltshire’s 253 town, parish and city councillors and is a useful setting for sharing information.

“Following the event we emailed all town and parish councils in January 2023 as an early warning of the proposal to implement the changes.

"A decision will made at the budget meeting on February 21 and if agreed this would take effect for the May 2025 elections.

“We have been liaising with two comparable councils, Cornwall and Durham, who implemented these changes some time ago.

"They informed us that they found that there is no greater use of co-option or uncontested elections as a result of these types of changes.

"Concerns raised about these proposals are not borne out by evidence we’ve seen elsewhere in the country."