THE Devizes Development Partnership, formed to help regenerate the town, is threatened with collapse after most of the committee, including chairman, vice chairman and treasurer, stood down at Monday's annual meeting.

Chairman Jenny Holt, vice chairman Maurice Came, treasurer Peter Triggs and bank manager Nigel Holman say they have resigned because of frustration at not being able to get any scheme off the ground. Only three of the committee were prepared to stand for re-election and only three nominations from the floor were received.

Problems with recruiting a full-time project manager to head the partnership's efforts, has left most demoralised.

Mrs Holt said: "We can't make things happen without a project manager. It is partly that it is a one-year appointment and part of the job will be to raise funds for the salary for another year."

The last straw was the Palace Cinema. Mrs Holt said: "We expended a huge amount of effort to put together a plan to save the cinema only to find Kennet District Council had been in discussion with the owner of the building. The Partnership is not dead. We need people who care about the town and are prepared to fight for it."

Ron Crook, Kennet's director of community services, said: "There has been a longstanding argument over someone to help the partnership. There is only so much money available. It is vitally important to have a Partnership and we will do all we can to facilitate it."

An extraordinary meeting will be held at 6pm on November 9 in the town hall.