GAZETTE & HERALD: A £25,000 grant received by a Corsham voluntary group in April last year is being spent on a community plan, to find out what people want from their town.

The Quality Future's Team was formed to improve the town and the surrounding villages in line with the wishes of the people.

And the grant, from the Regional Development Agency, will help the group to carry out the research.

So far more than £5,000 has been spent on the investigation and it has revealed the public want to see a more vibrant town centre, better youth services, improved transport arrangements, such as an enhanced bus service and car parking and the re-opening of the railway station.

Membership of the Quality Futures Team is open to all, but the Corsham Civic Society plays a leading role.

Peter Tapscott, chairman of the Civic Society, said: "We recommend that all our members make a real effort to involve themselves in this whole process. It is the way to achieve some influence over how our town and its surrounding area develop.

"It is not beholden to government national, regional or local. We are free to spend the £25,000 as we see fit."

A three-day Corsham open day was followed by similar events in Box, Colerne, Lacock, Rudloe and Neston.

Four hundred residents of all ages rallied round to record their personal views on how Corsham should develop, making their entries on 750 Post-it notes.

These are currently being analysed and will form the basis of a questionnaire that will be delivered to a representative sample of the 12,000 households, which make up the Corsham area.

"Not everyone will have received a questionnaire at their homes. This is simply a matter of cost," said Mr Tapscott.

By March 31 this year the Quality Futures Team have to have a draft community plan available to be looked at and criticised and an action plan to say which things they are going to pursue and how they are going to do it.

The Community Plan must record the results of a consultation process with the whole community.

Mr Tapscott said: "The consultation process is the key to everything. It began as far back as 1998. Now the findings recorded at that time must be verified."

It was the 1998 questionnaire that revealed people wanted to re-open Corsham railway station and improve public transport links. It also found people wanted more and improved facilities for young people; and improved shopping facilities in Corsham, with continued provision of village stores and post offices.

The Community Plan is on schedule for release in May.

Anyone who has not received a questionnaire can still participate in the process by using one of the forms that have been left at Corsham library.