In a rural county like Wiltshire it is essential that there are thriving, vibrant towns which have the capacity to provide services and facilities for their hinterland. Unfortunately there are too many rural counties in England with too few towns or towns too small to undertake this role. Such counties are faced with declining services and ageing, dated facilities.

Wiltshire, at present, is on the knife edge. Its towns are growing, but they need to have the capacity to take up the slack as Wiltshire Council is forced to make cuts whilst its population continues to grow.

Trowbridge is a classic example of a town that by its very size has the capacity to provide sustainable services and invest in facilities for a wider area. However with the increasing size of the Trowbridge community, it is essential that the new housing developments that will look to Trowbridge for such services as shops, medical and leisure facilities – the park, cinema and restaurants, and particularly for sports facilities, are involved in contributing to these.

Trowbridge Town Council has already bought land adjacent to Trowbridge Rugby Club on Devizes Road, Hilperton where they want to build new sports pitches which are sadly lacking in the area..

To develop these facilities and the other ancillary services will not be simple. The town council has the capacity to undertake such a project, one beyond the capacity of a small parish council.

However in order to provide those facilities, the new developments need to be included within the town boundary so they can contribute to expanding its capacity to serve this wider community.

Adjustment of the town’s boundaries would enable Trowbridge Town Council to contribute to the long talked about Campus which now seems to have a funding gap of several millions.

It would enable it to contribute to the cost of buses so that people living in those houses can get into the town which will be providing their facilities.

The Community Governance Review which is ongoing at the moment is crucial.

Without the changes to the town boundaries, Trowbridge Town Council will not have the capacity to carry through any of the proposed projects nor will it be in the position to deliver strategic investment in our town.

Spreading the burden more widely among the people who will directly benefit will enable improved facilities and services. We need one town council for all of the town.

Consultation meetings are being held and it is important that everyone makes clear to Wiltshire Council that the new houses should be within the Trowbridge boundaries.

The first consultation meeting is on October 13in County Hall Atrium between 6pm and 9pm.

There is also a consultation form available on line at: http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/communitygovernancereviewsurvey2015.htm A P Milroy, Bellefield Crescent, Trowbridge