I'm a lone voice

I am an existing member of the Roundway Parish Council.

I offer the lone voice of discontent amongst the existing 12 members (one short of full quota, despite frequent pleas to parishioners for a volunteer for co-option).

While I do not wholeheartedly support the case presented by Devizes Town Council, I do agree the current situation is grossly unfair.

As a new resident to Devizes in 1998 I was rather amazed to find that living in Downlands Road in what I thought of as the Devizes town was actually by a quirk of history part of Roundway parish.

Finding my council tax was slightly less than would be paid by an occupant of a property in the town proper seemed to be a bit of a bonus.

However, I now realise that under the largely Tory-led higher council administration we are all paying far too much council tax anyway.

It is grossly unfair that the people living in the town proper are subsidising the use of town facilities by Roundway residents.

I'm sure that if the council tax were to be properly rationalised we could all benefit a reduced rate.

More to the point were parts of the Roundway parish to be absorbed by the town council then a balance could be struck to ensure the new rate did not unfairly hit former Roundway parish residents.

Perhaps there is a need for retention of the parish council but in a much more limited structure, logically the village of Roundway but perhaps with the town council gifting it the Leipziger Plantation which under Devizes Town Council seems to be in a state of poor repair and decline.

Perhaps the new town boundary needs to include the whole of the logical town area especially those areas which are currently under housing development.

Were these areas properly represented at a level of council with a real voice then perhaps the current development would be less piecemeal and have a structure that includes adequate community facilities?

GEOFF BREWER

Roundway Parish Councillor

Downlands Road

DEVIZES