When the ambition of one county councillor to be an MP at all costs plunges the Tories of North Wiltshire into civil war over James Gray's seat, that is one thing. When that same councillor forces the whole of the Wiltshire Tory Party into civil war over the ill-fated unitary bid, it is another, but when one looks at the whole picture everyone in Wiltshire should be worried.
Obviously Chippenham voters need to be wooed with special treatment, moving the Record Office, the magistrates court, keeping its hospital when they are closed everywhere else, but even the most naive of Chippenham residents knows exactly why this is being done.
The partiality of the current county council administration has become a joke. Unfortunately it is a very grim joke for the rest of the county. Moreover it is very short-sighted.
The Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West shows that in the future the growth of Chippenham is going to be greatly reduced because of Swindon, both in terms of jobs and housing. Swindon, however, is going to continue to grow both in size and in appetite. Chippenham is already designated as a satellite town for Swindon, but to achieve city status they need more.
Building the Wiltshire and Swindon Record Office in Chippenham is just too tempting. Turning Chippenham from a satellite to a suburb takes just a few strokes of a pen.
Then the Wiltshire and Swindon Record Office will be in Greater Swindon.
Remember the story of the Gingerbread Man and the sly fox who befriended him...
D. M. Colcomb Roundway Park Devizes
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