THE leader of Trowbridge Town Council has made a public apology for inaccurate comments he made in a BBC Radio Wiltshire interview earlier this week.

In the interview on Monday, Cllr Stewart Palmen and Cllr Antonio Piazza were asked to comment on the lack of Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebration events organised by the council.

Cllr Palmen claimed that no Queen’s Platinum Jubilee events had been held in Cllr Antonio Piazza’s Drynham ward, which was wrong.

He also claimed that Cllr Piazza had not objected to only £1,000 being allocated in the council’s annual budget for 2022/23 for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

This was also inaccurate. In fact, Cllr Piazza had voted against the full budget, including the £1,000 allocation, earlier this year.

Apologising, Cllr Palmen said: “As a politician it is extremely important to do what is right.

“I am personally convinced that I need to apologise to Cllr Antonio Piazza for some things I said during a BBC Radio Wiltshire interview on Monday the 13th of June 2022 where the lack of Trowbridge Town Council Jubilee events was discussed.

“1) I apologise for stating that No Jubilee events occurred in Cllr Piazza’s Drynham ward. I have since found out that various events did happen. I am sorry for this incorrect statement.

“2) I stated that Cllr Piazza did not object to only £1,000 being in the Town Council’s Budget for Jubilee events. He did vote against the full budget so therefore had voted against that line of the budget. I apologise for this. 

“I hope he accepts this apology in the open way it is intended.”

Cllr Piazza has since responded to accept Cllr Palmen’s apology, adding: “I appreciate the acknowledgement to the mistakes committed and value your response to the incident on BBC Radio Wiltshire.

“I find in your statement a deal of responsibility, which I know residents in Drynham and Trowbridge will appreciate in reflection.

“I thank you for your note of apology and look forward to moving on from this matter, working to ensure that future events such as the Uniform Services Day in Trowbridge in September are a major success for the county town of Wiltshire, making us all feel proud to live in this town.”

Cllr Piazza added: “I have acknowledged your apology, have accepted it, and consider the matter closed.”

The only celebratory event organised by the council for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee was a community engagement picnic in the park on Tuesday, June 7.