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Town to vote on moving library

Published on Monday 4th April 2011 by Jon Hubbard

Following a request from 10 members of the public, Melksham residents are to get a vote on closing the town's town centre Library

The request, which was made at the Annual Town Meeting, will mean that a Town Poll will be held. There is no legal duty for Wiltshire Council to heed the results of the poll, but it would be very difficult to justify ignoring the results, should they back up all of the evidence to date about people's displeasure at the proposals.

Speaking after the council meeting local Councillor Jon Hubbard commented, "this is real democracy at work. This poll has not been called by politicians but by the people. They are disgusted at the way the council ignored the results of the consultation process and want to make it clear how they feel. I hope that this time Wiltshire Council might listen to what the people are saying".

Cllr Hubbard has written to Wiltshire Council Leader Jane Scott asking for any final decision by the council's cabinet to be postponed until after the Town Poll has been held, to ensure that the results of the poll can form part of the cabinet's thinking.