I WONDER how many Wiltshire residents are happy with the 9.9 per cent hike in county council tax bills this year?

We have heard county councillors blame central government for this. However it now appears that Wiltshire county councillors are prepared to contemplate an even bigger tax rise just to make sure that the Record Office comes to Devizes or Chippenham.

This tax rise is purely because the county council is finding it hard to meet the Heritage Lottery Fund criteria, particularly now Swindon Borough Council has rejected Devizes because it was ranked last of the possible Record Office locations in the county council's own options reviews.

Any other form of funding such as public/private finance initiative and/or a loan to fund the new building will eventually have to be paid for by the residents of Wiltshire. If Wiltshire County Council goes ahead on its own with the Devizes location then the whole cost of the £9.2 million project will have to be paid for by Wiltshire council tax payee, which would mean a rise in council tax of around 12.6 per cent.

Trowbridge is the only central location with a good rail link and the necessary transport infrastructure to ensure good access. Moreover it would meet Heritage Lottery Fund criteria on access and sustainability.

The county council already owns the site.

Compared with Devizes, a Trowbridge site would be £6 million pounds cheaper!

It is time this doom laden ego trip, which has already inflicted major damage on Devizes' future development, was given up as a dead loss.

D COLCOMB

Roundway Park

Devizes