ROUNDWAY Parish Council has vowed to fight on after Kennet district councillors voted to consult the public on a plan to make the parish a ward of Devizes.

Parish councillors were visibly upset after Kennet's policy and finance committee voted by ten votes to eight to approve a public consultation on the scheme at a meeting on Tuesday.

Town and district councillor Dick Breach moved that Roundway parish be abolished and included as a fourth ward of Devizes, and added an amendment that Canal Way and Waterside Park, currently in Roundway parish, be moved into Bishops Cannings.

Coun Margaret Taylor, who lives in Roundway although she is a town and district councillor, said: "The decision to abolish Roundway is not being made this afternoon. We only ask councillors to allow a fair consultation to take place."

Devizes Town Council had proposed the boundary change because members felt Roundway residents had little say on developments in Devizes, which was as much their town as that of anyone living within the town boundaries.

But Roundway Parish Council claims the town council only wants to get its hands on the parish because Devizes' annual precept, the highest in Kennet, is an embarrassment to them.

By bringing in more council tax payers, they would be able to set a lower rate.

Mrs Taylor referred to that in her address, saying: "There are financial considerations involved but Roundway residents pay a surprisingly low precept considering the facilities they have on their doorstep."

Coun Judith Triggs, member for Roundway, told the meeting: "The strength of feeling among the parishioners of Roundway is very much against this plan. They will lose the representation they have at the moment.

"Roundway councillors come from all over the parish and if it becomes part of Devizes, they will only have three or four members and there is no saying which part of Roundway they will come from."

Coun John Cooke was concerned that a vote in favour of the abolition of Roundway would create more bad feeling between voters and the council.

He said: "If the proposal is carried there will be a lot of disgruntled voters in Roundway and we will be seen as the villains.

"This could mean an extra £60 or £70 on their annual council tax and if I was a Roundway resident I would be bitterly opposed to it."

Coun Ray Taylor was scathing about the councillors' recent consultation exercise around the parish where they found almost unanimous opposition to the town council scheme.

He said: "I'm sure the councillors were very pleased to go round their parishioners for the first time ever. If they do become part of Devizes they will have to get used to working a lot harder."

After the meeting, Roundway's treasurer, Peter King, said: "We are pleased at least eight members of Kennet District Council saw the logic of our argument and voted against the proposal.

"We will continue to fight on, but this has made it a lot more difficult for us because it will be seen to have Kennet's seal of approval."

The schemes will now go out to public consultation and, if approved, will be submitted to the Boundary Commission with whom the final decision rests.