A PROPOSAL to merge part of St Paul Without Parish with Malmesbury Town is under discussion.

The town council believes it would be fairer if people living in new homes on the outskirts of St Paul's Without paid their taxes to the town.

Town councillors believe the people in this area benefit from all of the town's facilities but do not pay towards their upkeep.

At a town council meeting on Tuesday parish councillors were on hand to discuss the proposal, which will eventually be passed to North Wiltshire District Council as part of the Boundary Commission review.

Deputy Mayor Charles Vernon said: "The object of the exercise should be to identify distinct communities. That is why we make a distinction between the town, the village of Milbourne and the rural area to the north of Filands as each of these has different characters."

A recent urban capacity study commissioned by North Wiltshire District Council considered Burton Hill and Common Road as part of Malmesbury's urban area.

Services for these areas, such as council and tourist information, are mainly funded by the town council.

Mr Vernon said householders there do not contribute to the expense of providing such services.