Trio battle it out for seat on town council

Eve Silvester, Ernie Taylor and Bridgett Tubb all say they will do their best to get the right development at the Station Road site if they are elected on Thursday.

The vacancy comes after Long-serving Liberal Democrat Daphne Matthews resigned due to ill-health.

Coun Amanda Dickson has also resigned, saying she no longer feels the council is the best way for her to help the town. An election for that vacancy will be held in the New Year.

Conservative candidate Ernie Taylor, 60, of Betjeman Avenue, is Memorial Hall committee chairman and has lived in the town all his life.

He was a retained firefighter for 28 years and is a self-employed engineer, having worked at St Ivel until 14 years ago.

He plans to set up a community bus for the elderly and fight to keep the rural buffer.

He said: "We know there is going to be housing at the St Ivel site but we have to bring more jobs into the town."

Eve Silvester, 48, of Brynards Hill, is standing for the Liberal Democrats. She is a human resources manager in Swindon and moved back to the town last year after living in Woodshaw during the 1990s.

She said: "I will try and ensure Wootton Bassett remains a safe and prosperous place. I am concerned about St Ivel, it should be a balance of housing and employment and I hope the greenfield site remains undeveloped."

She wants traffic calming measures on the road to Lyneham and improved High Street parking.

Mrs Tubb, 56, of the High Street, is standing as an Independent. She is Chamber of Commerce president and a school governor. She said: "I am passionate about Wootton Bassett. Having grown up here I know how it all works and have a huge rapport with the people of the town.

"I intend to be absolutely honest with people and work very hard for them."

She is a campaigner for an arts centre at the St Ivel site. and is also concerned about the rural buffer, traffic in the High Street and parking.