PEOPLE of all ages and all political persuasions came together in Devizes on Tuesday to condemn a Wiltshire Council decision to close Braeside activity centre.

They were outraged that the council decided behind closed doors at the beginning of the month to close both Braeside and Oxenwood, near Marlborough, and last week the council's scrutiny committee decided this process had not broken any rules.

But in Devizes this week feelings among Braeside staff, teachers from schools that use the centre, town councillors and other supporters were running high.

Conservative town councillor Andy Johnson condemned his own party on Wiltshire Council for its actions which meant even those most involved with the centre and youth activities in the county were kept in the dark. He said: "I am the local youth network representative and I had no idea. I am very upset by it."

Former Labour party Wiltshire County Councillor Margaret Taylor, who for many years had special responsibility for Braeside, questioned many of the figures put out by the council about the cost of maintaining Braeside. She said: "Last year it created a £20,000 surplus so how can they say it is running at a loss."

Town councillor Chris Greenwood from the Devizes Guardians said: "A lot of what Wiltshire Council is putting out is just lies."

On Tuesday among those using the centre was a large group of children from a Cirencester primary school. Headteacher of Powell's Glyn Jones said: "We think this place is fantastic. Our children love coming here. This is an experience they will remember for ever."

A petition to save the two outdoor education centres has now got more than 15,000 names but at last week's Wiltshire Council's Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee voted eight to five, with one abstention, to reject the claim that the decision to close the centres had not been made fairly.

This week Braeside supporters were particularly upset that Wiltshire councillors representing wards in or around Devizes had not spoken up for the centre.

At the meeting children, education and skills cabinet member Cllr Laura Mayes, who represents Roundway, said: "These sites are simply not a priority. The closures won't cause a detrimental effect because there are other centres for children to go to, as 70 per cent of schools do currently.

"Outdoor education will continue for Wiltshire children. We know what our priorities are and this is not one for Wiltshire Council.”

Area board chairman Simon Jacobs seconded the vote to reject the decision had been made unfairly.

Devizes Town Council will debate the closure at its meeting on Tuesday. (24)