THE chairman of Devizes Development Partnership, Peter Lay, is among seven local people and organisations to be recognised in the town council's 2004 civic awards, announced this week.

Mr Lay has been awarded the accolade for his untiring efforts in raising funding for the recruitment of a town centre manager for Devizes.

He threatened to resign if the £40,000 over three years was not forthcoming to fund the post.

The citation on his nomination referred to the considerable time and personal commitment he had invested in raising the funding and recruiting the successful candidate, Janet Duffield, who takes up her post in May.

The recruitment of a town centre manager was the principal recommendation in a retail revival strategy report prepared by a team from Bournemouth University two years ago and Mr Lay made it his first priority when he took over the chairmanship of the partnership from Alex Duffey last year.

Devizes Town Council and Kennet District Council have both pledged £15,000 a year over the next three years to the post and another £10,000 is to come from individual local businesses.

Justin Leonard, station manager of Devizes Hospital Radio, is another person to receive a "service to the people" award.

Mr Leonard has been a member of the volunteer radio station for 30 years and has been instrumental in helping it win numerous awards.

The most recent was a highly commended certificate in the National Hospital Radio Awards for its outside broadcast from the firewalk at Rowdeford School last June.

Lisa May and Lisa Green will also receive service to the people awards from mayor Paula Winchcombe at the town council's annual parish meeting tonight. They have been involved in the Devizes Child Contact Centre, which provides a place for children of broken families to meet their estranged parents.