Devizes town councillors have decided not to waive a charge for corkage following a request from Devizes Fairtrade Group.

The corkage charge applied to the group’s annual debate at the town hall on February 27 during Fairtrade fortnight.

The group said they had emailed the town council before the event asking for the corkage charge to be waived but the town council said they could not find a record of it being delivered.

As a result the group asked for the charge, amounting to £26.20, to be waived retrospectively.

At a meeting of the town council’s recreation and properties committee last week, deputy town clerk Simon Fisher said the town council had bought the wine for the Fairtrade group on previous occasions but this time the group had received vouchers from the Co-op which they used to buy wine and as a result they would have to pay corkage.

Town councillors agreed not to vary their policy and the group will have to pay the corkage charge.

Councillor Chris Callow said: “I don’t think we should waive the fee. If they are short of that money I will give them £20 out of my own pocket.”